Hello everyone! Summer is here and it is a time to enjoy our pristine, white sandy beaches and beautiful emerald waters of Destin. We all play a vital role and must be conscious of our actions and how they can impact our environment. Our Parks and Recreation Department is truly dedicated to maintaining the cleanliness and functionality of our parks. They have noticed a considerable increase of trash discarded on the ground and not properly disposed of in available trash receptacles. The City of Destin has a Leave No Trace initiative and is asking for your help to preserve our little piece of paradise by kindly removing all the items you brought with you to our public beaches and parks.
On April 27th the City of Destin teamed up with the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance for the 2019 Earth Day Cleanup. Over 30 volunteers assisted with the cleanup efforts on Norriego Point. 557 pieces of tiny trash, 171 cigarette butts and 29 yards of fishing line were removed and properly discarded. On May 8, the City of Destin’s Harbor and Waterways Officer provided support to a clean-up operation performed by volunteer U.S. Air Force Airmen who are in advanced skills training at the Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field. Several tons of debris were pulled from the Destin Harbor and several truck loads were transported to Emerald Coast Scuba to be cataloged and properly disposed of. It is community engagement such as this that is awe inspiring to not only educate the public but also to demonstrate commitment in action to take care of our environment and our community.
We all need to do our part to protect our environment, keep our waterways clean, and provide a healthy habitat for nesting sea turtles. We encourage our residents, businesses and rental management companies to help get the word out on our Leave No Trace initiative: Anything you bring to the beach with you should be removed or properly disposed of when you leave the beach. Future generations are depending on us as well as our sea turtles and other wildlife.
Thank you for your help to protect our beautiful Emerald Coast.
Catherine Card, City of Destin Public Information Manager
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