Green Coast Award
Recognising excellent water quality and sound environmental management at beaches.
The Green Coast Award is a symbol of environmental excellence and has been established to acknowledge, promote and protect the environment of rural Beaches in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The award is for beaches which meet EC bathing water quality standards, but which are also prized for their natural, unspoilt environment. A "natural, unspoilt environment" means that the special character of such a beach may not be compatible with the level of infrastructure and intensive management generally associated with more urban, traditional seaside resort beaches. The Green Coast Award is objective-led and encourages 'best practice' in management of rural beaches. It also emphasises community involvement in coastal management through the setting up of Coast Care Groups. The awards form one part of a two stage programme called Clean Coasts. The second part of the programme is called Coast Care.Coast Care
This programme encourages coastal communities to take an active role in the environmental mangement of their coast. Existing groups have undertaken many different projects such as beach clean ups and dune mangement iniaitives. Further information can be obtained the Cleancoast website www.cleancoastproject.org or directly from An Taisce on 01 4002210.The Clean Coast Programme is supported by the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland, South & East Cork Area Development (SECAD) and Failte Ireland.
