Beach Cleanup!

Island Supervisor Halley and intern Kaia stand proudly next to the pile of trash that they spent the day collecting along the shores of Jenny Island.

Though it is just 3 acres, plenty of trash amasses throughout the winter when the ocean waves wash over the entirety of the island. This photo only represents a small portion of all that they actually gathered, and they haven’t even begun to tackle all the trash found inland, nor did they try to untangle the heavy lobster that array the coastline. The warped metal of the traps presents a hazard unless you come equipped with heavy gloves, and there were plenty of pieces of dock foam, empty oil cans and bottles to keep them busy besides.

By cleaning up this trash, it will prevent all of this waste from washing into the ocean waters and presenting a threat to the marine wildlife. They are also trying to remove the plastic that the terns might try to steal for nesting material.

“I can’t imagine what it must be like cleaning up the larger islands,” said island supervisor Halley Walsh, “Jenny is just 3 acres, and it’s incredible the amount of trash that is here.”

Photo Courtesy of Adam DiNuovo