The 'Clean Coasts Project' has been established to improve the environment of the Irish and Welsh coasts, and to restore the aesthetic appeal and increase the amenity and economic value to the community and visitors.

It aims to do this by:

• Running an environmental award scheme called the Green Coast Award
• Involving local communities in beach management called Coastcare.

Following a pilot scheme between Keep Wales Tidy and Wexford County Council, the Clean Coast Project has been extended and a partnership established between An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland and Keep Wales Tidy, under the Maritime INTERREG IIIA Programme, Priority 2/Measure 1, to expand the project in both countries. This project is part-financed by the European Union and supported in Ireland by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as well as five Local Authorities on the east coast.

In Ireland, the Clean Coast Project is currently being run in counties Meath, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford. The project is largely focused on the establishment of local, community, voluntary Coastcare groups who 'adopt' and manage stretches of coastline. The project is open to all and anyone wishing to get involved will be welcome.

For more information about the Clean Coast Project, please contact:

Aidan Gray, Clean Coast Project Officer,
An Taisce Environment Education Unit, Tailor's Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8
Tel: 046 94 81710 Email: gcawards@antaisce.org

Clean Coast is a European Union funded project under the INTERREG 111A Programme