Is it bad, negative, doomerist of me to wonder about the environmental effect of human beings picking beaches clean of dead coral and empty shells? Is there no way that those things support the ecology of oceans even in their decay?
People aren't allowed to take samples of white sand out of White Sands Nat'l Monument anymore because the [number of visitors per year] x [even a small sample of sand] = the whole monument cleared in a few years.
Sustainable collecting practices are important. No collecting live shells or shells that are inhabited by living animals. Everything in moderation. Collect dead shells on the beach (instead of snorkeling or scuba diving for shells) where they have less impact on the living ecosystem. Adhere to local regulations for collecting seashells. Learn first about the wildlife and beach habitats so you know what the area is like and what wildlife inhabits it.
There is a natural abundance of seashells and massive amounts are washed up on shores every day. Of course, if people collect enormous amounts of seashells on one beach area it can disrupt that local ecosystem -- and it's good to keep in mind. Individual collectors that use it as a hobby and to connect with nature, don't disrupt that ecological balance -- but again, everything in moderation. Many collectors make it a habit to bring back 'discarded' collected shells to the same beach they collected them. A sort of recycling system.
It is, for example, illegal to sell sand from Florida beaches due to erosion protection.
Thank you for reading and commenting! This is the first deeper comment I've had in a long time and it brings me great joy! :-))
Is it bad, negative, doomerist of me to wonder about the environmental effect of human beings picking beaches clean of dead coral and empty shells? Is there no way that those things support the ecology of oceans even in their decay?
People aren't allowed to take samples of white sand out of White Sands Nat'l Monument anymore because the [number of visitors per year] x [even a small sample of sand] = the whole monument cleared in a few years.
Sustainable collecting practices are important. No collecting live shells or shells that are inhabited by living animals. Everything in moderation. Collect dead shells on the beach (instead of snorkeling or scuba diving for shells) where they have less impact on the living ecosystem. Adhere to local regulations for collecting seashells. Learn first about the wildlife and beach habitats so you know what the area is like and what wildlife inhabits it.
There is a natural abundance of seashells and massive amounts are washed up on shores every day. Of course, if people collect enormous amounts of seashells on one beach area it can disrupt that local ecosystem -- and it's good to keep in mind. Individual collectors that use it as a hobby and to connect with nature, don't disrupt that ecological balance -- but again, everything in moderation. Many collectors make it a habit to bring back 'discarded' collected shells to the same beach they collected them. A sort of recycling system.
It is, for example, illegal to sell sand from Florida beaches due to erosion protection.
Thank you for reading and commenting! This is the first deeper comment I've had in a long time and it brings me great joy! :-))