Ranger Round-up: October

October at a Glance

In September, the Ranger team:

• Engaged with 342 people
  
  Worked with 44 volunteers
  
  Collected 48.6kg of litter
  
  Filled 8 bags of rubbish
  
  Travelled 211.5km while delivering activities
  
  Hosted walks, surveys, talks, school sessions, volunteering activities and community events across Plymouth

Every activity helped people enjoy, learn about and care for Plymouth Sound.

Where Did We Visit?

The Ranger team delivered activities across Plymouth, including:

• Ernesettle Creek
  
  Kinterbury Creek
  
  Devil’s Point
  
  Tinside
  
  Barn Pool
  
  Firestone Bay
  
  Millbay
  
  Stonehouse
  
  The Barbican
  
  Central Park
  
  Mount Edgcumbe
  
  Southway
  
  Arts University Plymouth

By bringing activities to different neighbourhoods and green spaces, we helped more people discover the National Marine Park on their doorstep.

One of the biggest ways people supported Plymouth Sound this month was through coastal cleans. Rangers and volunteers worked together to remove 48.6kg of litter from local shorelines and waterfront spaces.

A standout effort took place at Kinterbury Creek, where an impressive 35.6kg of litter was collected during a single SEAwell coastal clean. Every piece removed helps protect wildlife, improve habitats and stop rubbish entering the sea.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us.

How Many People
Took Part?

Throughout October, 342 people took part in Ranger-led activities.

People joined us for coastal cleans, wildlife walks, surveys, talks, school visits and community events. Others connected with the Marine Park through programmes such as PL1 with the Sea, Oceans of Opportunity and Meet the Marine Park activities.

Highlights included:

• An engaging talk at the SRA AGM, attended by around 80 people
• Oceans of Opportunity at Arts University Plymouth, welcoming 50 participants
• A volunteer heritage walk between the Barbican and Devil’s Point
• Community sessions with the Sea Muslims and Foyer groups
• School sessions with pupils at Millfield Academy
• Millbay co-design activities helping shape future Marine Park initiatives

The continued enthusiasm shown by local communities demonstrates how much people care about Plymouth Sound and its future.

Discovering Wildlife
and Nature

October offered plenty of opportunities to explore and learn about local wildlife.

Highlights included:

• Bat walks at Ernesettle Creek and Devil’s Point in partnership with Devon Bats
• A Shoresearch walkover survey at Barn Pool
• A Firestone Bay BioBlitz and rockpool exploration event
• A Winter Wader Walk at Ernesettle Creek
• Living Seawall surveys along the Barbican waterfront

The Ranger team also continued monitoring wildlife on Plymouth’s Living Seawalls. October surveys recorded species including a peacock worm and Montagu’s crab, helping build our understanding of the marine life making these structures their home.

Volunteers also joined Rangers and partners at Mount Edgcumbe for a joint volunteering day that combined seed collecting with a heritage walk, helping support both nature recovery and community connection.

How Can You Get Involved?

There are lots of ways to get involved with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.

You can:

• Join a Coastal Clean
• Attend a community event
• Take part in a guided walk
• Volunteer with the Ranger team
• Learn about local wildlife
• Share your love of Plymouth Sound with friends and family

Every action, big or small, helps make a difference. Check out the Salty Scale for a list of events to can take part in.