Greener Orkney has been awarded a grant from The Protected Areas Foundation to establish a year‑long programme of beach‑litter monitoring in and around Scapa Flow. The project will see four monitoring sites set up around Scapa Flow, with quarterly surveys over 12 months. In total, 16 surveys will be carried out, producing robust seasonal data on the sources, types and patterns of marine litter affecting this nationally important site.
This work is being led by Greener Orkney in collaboration with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and the Scottish Islands Federation’s Marine Litter Working Group (SIF‑MLWG), with input from statutory and community partners. MCS provides the internationally recognised OSPAR beach‑litter methods and quality assurance, whilst SIF‑MLWG will help ensure the work contributes to a wider Island Surveyor Network and national evidence base on island marine litter.
The grant has been awarded through The Protected Areas Foundation’s grant scheme, which provides flexible, community‑focused funding to support effective management and stewardship of protected areas. The scheme backs projects led by, or working closely with, local communities to build capacity, develop sustainable, nature‑positive livelihoods and generate high‑quality evidence that can inform better policy and practice.
John Berry, Greener Orkney’s Marine Litter Project Coordinator explained: “These surveys build on the longstanding community efforts to keep Orkney’s beaches clean. We expect the survey results will be of interest locally and nationally and we are very grateful to the Foundation for their support.”
“We are delighted to support this important work in Scapa Flow as one of the first grants awarded by The Protected Areas Foundation,” said Belinda Bramley, co‑founder of The Protected Areas Foundation. “Greener Orkney’s project aligns closely with our aim of empowering coastal communities and improving the evidence base needed to protect our seas.”
Overall the results are expected to help inform litter policy and better understand the sources of the beach litter that washes up on Orkney’s shores.
To deliver the day‑to‑day coordination, Greener Orkney will appoint a contractor to act as Marine Litter Survey Coordinator. The contractor will work with volunteers to plan and deliver the surveys, ensure data quality, and prepare reports for Greener Orkney and the Foundation.
Greener Orkney will shortly invite expressions of interest in this contracted role.
More information
For more information about the project, please see our forthcoming updates on the Greener Orkney website, social media and newsletter, or contact Greener Orkney at info@greenerorkney.org.uk . Our website also has information about our beach cleaning activities and upcoming events including our beach cleaning programme.