Throughout the field trip to the Plum Island Reservation, the wide spans of beach, dunes, coastal vegatation. The end of the island, also known Sandy Point is a real change of pace compared to the other end of the island and the rest of Newburyport. For many years the press has been all over the fact that thebeach is eroding and how can someone fix this? Even though this is not good for Plum Island, this is a natural occuring event unlike the great amount of trash that has ended up on the beachfront that give us a barrier to the beutiful, massive, powerful ocean. From human thrown trash found on the beach to washed up trash, it causes a major concern for the fragile habitat.
Within the last year a major public concern is the distribution of the small plastic mesh circular disks from a water treament plant from the Merrimack River. E Coli and Entercoccus could be found in these disks. Young children were warned not to play with these disks because of the infection possible with exposure to these disks. When we were at Plum Island Reservation, the disks were scarce but were still visible if you looked carefully. This is just one present example of pollution that has occured in the area and directly affected the enviroment of Plum Island. Plum Island was affected because of the current flowing down the along the island, many pollutants and tras deposits end up on the shore of Plum Island.
Though the Island itself is still a major destination for tourists, homeowneers, birdwatchers and nature lovers, the Island is slowly showing the affects of human pollution and trash on the island. There has to be a change in regulation among beaches throuhgout the whole area. Through government agencies, the beach fronts can be cleaned up for human use and animal habitats.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=19-40-00-00
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/parkerriver/
Trevor
its bad that people are leaving trash on the beaches
people should clean up after themselves
I think its pretty gross that there is diseases that can be found on those plastic disk things.
i like how informative this blog is
Yes, the amount of trash that humans deposit in both the ocean and on the beach is extroidinary. Overtime it has created a problem at Plum Island and world wide. Small steps can be taken to stop this action, by enforcing litterring and doing beach cleanups.