Shoreline Clean-up Activities For Franklin County

Franklin County Emergency Management Center and the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, have asked everybody to pitch in and clean up human-made litter from our Gulf and Bay beaches. This will help ensure that it will not get fouled with oil and become hazardous waste. Of course, we all hope that somehow the oil WON’T get here, but we need to be prepared.

Why does it take a disaster for people to get together to do something good?

Summary of clean-up activities:

Pre-impact cleanup: The Apalachicola Riverkeeper, as lead agency for Emergency Support Function 15 for Franklin County would like to thank the 244 volunteers and 12 staff who cleaned Franklin County’s beaches and shorelines as part of the “pre-impact” cleanup. These folks, including 48 high school students from Franklin County High School and 18 third graders from the Apalachicola Bay Charter School spent 733 hours and removed 15,260 pounds of litter from 70 miles of beaches and shorelines.

The quantity of litter should remind you boaters who throw out trash, that someone else has to clean up after you. YOU CAN DO BETTER!

Wednesday, May 5

The FSU Coastal and Marine Lab led a preliminary assessment of clean-up needs for Dog Island. Al London and the principal, teachers, parents, and students from the Franklin County consolidated schools cleaned the shoreline along Highway 98 from Green Point to Yents Bayou.

Staff from the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve and Riverkeeper volunteers cleaned the shoreline of Little St. George Island. More than 40 volunteers from the St. George Island Trash Patrol removed trash from St. George Island State Park to Bob Sikes Cut.

Thursday, May 6
Dog Island – The Nature Conservancy staff removed trash on Dog Island.

Friday, May 7
Carrabelle CARES volunteers removed trash on Carrabelle beaches from 30A to Yents Bayou.

More than 40 volunteers from the St. George Island Trash Patrol worked to remove trash from St. George Island State Park to Bob Sikes Cut. Students from the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab removed trash from Turkey Point to St. Teresa. Volunteers met at 8 am to remove trash from the Apalachicola Bay side of St. George Island State Park.

Gayle, Pam and Pete cleaned from the East Cut to Marsh Island this morning (May 7) on the bay side of the State Park - 12 large garbage bags for the three of us. The Rangers were great and there were around 10 other volunteers covering other areas of the park. We cleaned from around 8:30 am to noon. Just completed from 8th St. East 1.5 miles toward the Park. One small bag- cleaned from 2:39 to 3:30 pm, May 7.

Saturday, May 8
Alligator Point Volunteer Fire Department and Harbor Point Realty coordinated volunteers to remove trash from 10 miles of shoreline on Alligator Point. Carrabelle CARES volunteers removed trash on Carrabelle beaches from 30A to Yents Bayou. Kayakers will removed trash from the Bay side of the Plantation.

Patti McCartney cleaned from the east end of Whelk Way (in the Plantation) to the Bob Sikes cut. Ada Long began at 8:25 AM and finished at 9:15. Happy to report that I got only one grocery bag of litter. A large white towel covered with sand was my biggest find. Imagine the turtlers are keeping the beaches clean.

Sunday, May 9
More than 40 volunteers from the St. George Island Trash Patrol worked to remove trash from St. George Island State Park to Bob Sikes Cut.

Monday, May 10
Update: 4 miles of SummerCamp beach have been cleaned of debris by our maintenance person. He normally does beach patrol once a week. We will be very cognizant of the beach cleanup in the upcoming days. My other concern for SummerCamp is the estuaries and bayous on the property. I would like to work with FSU to develop a plan to protect those areas from damage. Look forward to working with all concerned in these trying times. ~ Thanks, Larry Fletcher

INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers will work to remove human-made trash from Gulf and Bay beaches before oil arrives. Because volunteers will not encounter oil, no special training is needed. We are always mindful of safety and the fact that we are sharing the beach with nesting shorebirds and sea turtles.

Volunteers will need to bring:

• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant
• Protective clothing such as hat, light-weight long pants and long sleeve shirt
• Work shoes that protect your feet from sharp objects, and that can get wet and muddy
• Drinking water (bring a reusable bottle)
• Trash bags
• Protective gloves for picking up debris

(Some supplies may be provided. Contact the site coordinator to confirm what you should bring.)

When you are at the clean up, it is crucial that you:

• Leave dogs at home where they will not risk disturbing sensitive shorebirds or being injured by debris
• Use only approved access points – for your safety and the protection of fragile wildlife habitat
• Stay below the high-tide line to avoid disturbing nesting shorebirds
• DO NOT traverse above the high-tide line where birds and turtles may be nesting
• Leave natural debris in place, because it provides nesting benefits to shorebirds and other wildlife
• Remove human-made litter and debris from the area by placing it in a trash bag and dumpster
• DO NOT place litter in the dunes or above the high-tide line
• Wear gloves for your safety since you will be picking up litter by hand
• DO NOT use equipment such as rakes, shovels, or tractors
• Stop and ask the site coordinator if you have any questions or safety concerns

HOTLINES
Franklin County Emergency Management Office: 850-653-4206
BP Hotline: 866-557-1401
BP Response line (volunteer and job information): 866-448-5816
Deepwater Horizon Response (public and media information): 985-902-5231 or 985-902-5240