Residents in Cornwall, England, fear their slice of paradise is under attack as authorities remove sand from Hayle Beach, known for its stunning three-mile stretch of golden sand.
As detailed by the New York Post, local Sophie Daniels started a petition on Change.org advocating for authorities to halt sand removal on Hayle Beach, named "Britain's best beach" in a regional guide by the Times.
"In recent times, our once tranquil beach is suffering as tonnes of sand are removed day and night, sold for profit with no thought of the environmental repercussions," Daniels wrote in her petition, which had 2,409 of the requested 2,500 signatures as of Oct. 15.
While onlookers might not always see much life on the surface of the sand, beaches and dunes support all sorts of biodiverse organisms — in addition to guarding against erosion, ultimately protecting communities from flooding during storms.
However, despite the public outcry, authorities argue that the work at Hayle Beach is necessary, with the 1989 Hayle Harbor Act giving them clear permission to remove sand to protect residents from floods and ensure smooth passage for fishermen and sailing boats.
"Regular dredging is needed in four areas at Hayle Harbour to provide a safe channel for fishing and sailing boats to navigate," Hayle harbourmaster Peter Haddock told Cornwall Live, per the New York Post. "Dredging also maximizes the flow of the tide to naturally flush the channel, maintaining the estuary's ecosystem as well as contributing towards managing flood risk."
Haddock added that the community also benefits from the removal of the sand, which is primarily sold to farmers and then reinvested into harbor maintenance.
Nonetheless, Daniels and others aren't convinced officials are telling the whole story and are motivated to continue using their voices to fight what they say is excessive sand mining.
"The reality is clearly different. Excavation is taking place on the beach, far from the central channel they declare to keep clear," Daniels wrote in the petition, explaining how "relentless mining" is disrupting the peace during nighttime hours and endangering the beach's future.
"I have had enough of watching our land and seas tampered with the point of a mass decline of wildlife in an area that should be protected and a safe haven," added Emily Brown, as reported by the New York Post. "We are losing so much to greed and this needs to change now, not in 10, 20 or 50 years. NOW!"
On Sept. 6, the Hayle Town Council announced on Facebook its intention to write to various stakeholders, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Natural England, in hopes of developing an action plan to continue supporting harbor routes while protecting the community and its cherished ecosystem.
"Councillors recognise the need for a safe navigable channel to access the harbour but ultimately, they also have grave concerns about the possible long-term damage to the local environment and ecology and believe that the reinstatement of a routine sluicing regime would be more beneficial, and acceptable to the Hayle community," the council wrote.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
