Pamela Chan, BCFamily.ca
Have you ever collected shells at the beach, flipped over rocks while beach combing or dug holes in the sand? It seems that this is not the thing to do. Neither is picking wild flowers alongside alpine trails – but that’s another topic.
The following tips about visiting the beach were developed by a local government office that is focused on parks and recreation. What tips would you add to the list?
Follow these tips to keep beaches alive and thriving:
* Walk carefully. Avoid crushing barnacles or small creatures
* Beach animals breathe water, so don’t pick them up for too long, and always pick them up with wet hands.
* Be gentle, and put the critters back. That includes flipping rocks back over, and filling any holes you dig.
* If it’s attached, leave it.
* Leave shells at the beach. All things living or dead play an important role in the shoreline ecosystem.
* A cool tip: Stick a small rock with barnacles in a bucket filled with salt water and watch. The barnacle will send out its colourful and feathery legs to gather food from the water and pull it into their body to eat.
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