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Are we loving the coast to death?

“Unless community attitudes change, our coastline will be loved to death.”

That’s the prediction of the body in charge of looking after natural resources in the Burnett Mary Region.

Mr Russell Stewart, the chairman of Burnett Mary Regional Group, told guests at a Coastcare function last month in Bundaberg that with increasing development and population, the coast is under increasing pressure.

“We’re blessed with an incredible coast which we all enjoy, but there are more 4WDs, more fishing, more boats and more stormwater which carries rubbish and anything else which people put down the drain,” he said.

Mr Stewart said that although the group has funded over $2 Million of very successful coastal projects, ultimately it was up to the community to take action.

“We see ourselves as agents for changing community attitudes to the environment, and I think these attitudes are changing, although not as quickly as some of us would like,” he said.

“For example, most people do not understand that one simple plastic bag can be fatal to a turtle. We use them every day to carry shopping or to take out the rubbish.
Speaking at the function, Mr Stewart paid special tribute to the “Coastal Heroes” who volunteer to help with on-ground works such as dune restoration, revegetation, weeding, fencing and monitoring.
 
“These people are making remarkable contributions to a better coastal environment.  Without their help, the coast would be much worse off, so we need many more coastal heroes,” he said.

The volunteers at the Coastcare Week function were presented certificates of appreciation by Mr Stewart and Cr Lorraine Pyefinch of Bundaberg City Council.