Sandy Point is about to get its annual cleansing.
The island just offshore from St. George’s has been the subject of a cleanup by the Nature Conservancy of Canada for six years running now.
The latest Sandy Point Beach Sweep by Nature Conservancy of Canada staff and volunteers is taking place Saturday.
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Sandy Point is a 2,471-acre island of natural and historical importance in St. George’s Bay. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has been working there since 2004, acquiring lands and caring for them. It has conserved 67 acres of the island so far.
The breathtaking landscape, with its sand dunes and salt marshes, is uncommon to Newfoundland and Labrador. The sandy beaches and dunes are important nesting habitats for numerous bird species and other wildlife.
The goal is to clear garbage and marine debris so that the wildlife can avoid ingesting plastics or becoming entangled.
In the past five years, the effort has removed more than 3,000 pounds of garbage from the shores of Sandy Point.
Funding for the beach cleanup has been provided by the Government of Canada through the Natural Areas Conservation Program, as well as through the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.
Weblink: conservationvolunteers.ca
