Around the Island

Mashomack joins worldwide beach cleanup

JIM COLLIGAN PHOTO Sharon and Elizabeth Cummings and Kenna McCarthy kept their eyes on the ground looking for beach debris and recording their finds during the annual Coastal Cleanup.

Sharon and Elizabeth Cummings, Kenna McCarthy and Caitlin Binder were among 50 volunteers who participated in the annual Coastal Cleanup at Mashomack on September 17. The group cleaned 10 miles of beach, removing 440 pounds of debris. The volunteers were part of a worldwide effort to remove shoreline trash, which threatens aquatic life and spoils the beaches.

During the cleanup, the trash was carefully sorted and categorized, with the data sent to the Ocean Conservancy that analyzes annual trends and recommends changes to laws.

The top five offenders on Mashomack’s beaches were all related to shoreline and recreational activities: food wrappers, shotgun shells, pieces of plastic, beverage bottles and plastic bags.

These items wash off streets, beaches and boats, floating around in Peconic and Gardiners bays until they come ashore. Many of these items were found very high up on the shoreline vegetation, pushed there by the high tides and waves of Irene. One of the most unusual finds was part of an old wagon wheel that was found near Log Cabin Creek.

BEVERLEA WALZ PHOTO | Caitlin Binder found this wheel fragment during the cleanup and took it to the Historical Society for some help in identifying what kind of wheel it was. It has them puzzled, too.

The Nature Conservancy has participated in the cleanups for over 20 years. Many of the volunteers for the past several years have been Shelter Island Middle School students who earn extra credit in science while helping the local environment.

Mike Laspia, Mashomack Preserve director commented, “It’s great to see the enthusiasm these kids bring to this event. They could be sleeping in on a Saturday morning, but they do a great job and make a big impact on the health of our bays. We are hoping these early experiences translate into life-long habits of being stewards of their world.”