What does the event look like?
Catch it in the Catchment is a collaborative effort between the people of the Kanamaluka/Tamar region, including community groups, schools, councils and key organisations such as Clean Up Australia and ReThink Waste Tasmania. During Catch it in the Catchment week, participants collect litter in areas adjacent to local waterways to prevent further pollution in the catchment. This litter is weighed and audited to better understand littering habits and gauge the event’s positive impact on our environment.
Why is this event important?
Catch it in the Catchment draws attention to the impact of human activity on our waterways, which include streams, creeks, rivulets and the estuary itself, and what can be done to mitigate this impact.
It is important in many aspects:
Litter reduction: it is a direct action with direct results, improving the ecological health and value of the estuary;
Education: it is an opportunity to educate school children and community members about litter pollution and the ecosystem services provided by the estuary;
Community wellbeing: it is a chance for local communities to get together and contribute meaningfully to the health of our waterways;
Enabling action: it helps in identifying litter hot spots and where further action might be needed.
How can Tamar NRM help you with your clean up?
As coordinators for the event, we can help you:
Find a clean up location;
Prepare your clean up;
Register your clean up with Clean Up Australia or help you join an existing group;
Learn how to conduct a litter audit/weight;
Access tools and resources (e.g., loan of long handled rubbish collectors, reusable bags);
Run an event with in-person support depending on availability.
Overall, Catch it in the Catchment is a great demonstration that many hands make light work. Anyone getting involved, even with a spare hour of time, is contributing to great results at the scale of the Kanamaluka/Tamar estuary catchment.
