Morecambe Bay Partnership’s vision is a thriving Bay, rich in landscape, wildlife and culture which connects and inspires residents and visitors alike. Their aims are to celebrate the Bay’s landscape and history, conserve the Bay’s nature, culture and heritage, connect to improve access and quality of life and collaborate with key partners and the community.
Morecambe Bay is the largest intertidal area in the UK, and a national biodiversity hotspot, with a mosaic of habitats from dunes and salt marshes to grasslands and woodland. It is visited by over 18 million day trippers annually. Many of these use the popular Bay Cycle Way, or take part in the Cross Bay Walk and other events. An epidemic of PPE (personal protective equipment) is adding to an ever increasing amount of plastic pollution, resulting in an increasing threat to the health of the ecologically fragile environment, as well as the natural beauty which attracts visitors to the area. The project will educate and communicate with those who love and use the Bay most by upscaling its volunteering operations to include cycleways and trails, working with sporting groups to eliminate single use waste from events and instilling the ‘leave no trace’ mentality in the Bay’s users. Independent beach cleans will be encouraged and 42 clean ups will be organised along 210km of beach, cycleway and trail, involving local groups, visitors, and organisations. 9 talks will be held specifically with event organisers to eliminate the use of single-use plastic.
