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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 2017)
2A • December 29, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Oregon beach cleanup efforts inspire filmmaker gest it. There has been a good amount of local atten- tion drawn to this issue over the last five years. Multiple cleanup events have hap- pened throughout the spring and summer, and a program that turns plastics into jewelry for awareness launched earli- er this year. Microplastics documentary filmed on Oregon beaches By Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette In his work at Ocean Blue Project, Richard Arterbury said he has found that more people know what to expect at a Christmas tree lighting than a beach cleanup. Arterbury and his team at the environmental nonprofit that focuses on river resto- ration and ocean health are looking to close that knowl- edge gap. They are filming a documentary on the Oregon Coast about beach cleanups and the consequences that come with increasing plastic marine debris. Starting in April, Ocean Blue Project will host and document about 50 beach cleanups on the West Coast. A large portion will be filmed on Oregon beaches, including Fort Stevens State Park, Sea- side and Tolovana State Park. The film, tentatively titled Pollution and people COLIN MURPHEY/EO MEDIA GROUP Plastic materials, such as this deflated ball, can pose a haz- ard to wildlife in the area. “Do it for the beaches,” is ex- pected to be released in about a year. “We wanted to document what we were already doing,” said Arterbury, president of Ocean Blue Project. “When we’re on the beach doing cleanups, people ask, ‘What are you doing?’ and when we show them what we are pick- ing up they are shocked and surprised.” Throughout the tour, the five-year-old nonprofit is aiming to remove more than 50,000 pounds of plastics and microplastics. Microplastics are extremely small pieces of debris broken down from larg- er waste in the ocean, coming in a variety of colors and often mistaken for sea glass. Earlier this year, more than 240 pounds was filtered from the sand in front of Haystack Rock. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration estimates 100 million tons of this debris fills the ocean, impacting thousands of marine animals who in- While there have been many documentaries made to address the consequences of microplastic pollution in the ocean, this is one of the few to focus solely on the Unit- ed States. The Ocean Blue Project is also focusing on the people who conduct and volunteer at beach cleanups. One of the goals of the docu- mentary, outreach coordinator Karise Boyce said, is to con- duct an ethnographic study of beach communities to share the stories of those who face coastal pollution every day. “It’s in their face every day,” Boyce said. “We want to share their stories with peo- ple who live inland who may be making decisions about the pollution that may end up on the beaches.” A long journey for Japanese fishing vessel Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette A capsized, 38-foot Jap- anese fishing boat washed ashore early this month be- tween Arcadia Beach and Hug Point. Seaside Aquarium report- ed the boat ashore on Dec. 2. The boat was covered in large, pelagic gooseneck barnacles which indicated it had been floating out at sea for quite some time because pelagic gooseneck barnacles are a species of barnacles that only attached to drifting debris, such as driftwood. Officials from Oregon State Parks and the Coast Guard evaluated its condition and inspected it for any leak- ing fluids or safety hazards, Cannon Beach Fire Chief Matt Benedict said. Benedict said the vessel looks like it has been in the water for quite a while, and it appears there is Japanese let- tering on the hull. “There’s lots of vegeta- tion on the side. It appears it’s been floating upside down for a long time,” Benedict said. “If people go down and look, just be careful.” Benedict said he was not aware of health hazards. Ore- gon State Parks worked with a salvaging company to remove the vessel from the beach. A large part of the docu- mentary will be dedicated to educating people about the dangerous effects of plastic pollution in the ocean as it pertains to sea life and envi- ronmental health. Microplas- tics never biodegrade, and the tiny plastic pieces have an af- finity to absorb chemicals — which are often carcinogenic — through broken edges and surfaces. But as an anthropologist, Boyce is looking to study the effects of pollution past phys- ical health. “We’re looking to see how communities are affect- ed. How is their well-being emotionally and mentally? And what are the economic impacts? Can we feel a dif- ference in tourism and indus- try?” Boyce said. “We want to help people see how land- based pollution is impacting these communities in every way.” The inspiration While the Ocean Blue Project is based in Bend, Ar- terbury’s passion for envi- ronmental activism is drawn from a love of the coast. Nehalem ranch praised for conservation work EO Media Group COURTESY CANNON BEACH FIRE AND RESCUE A vessel washed ashore between Arcadia Beach and Hug Point. “I’ve spent the summers on the coast for the last eight years and fell in love with it. It’s the most beautiful place,” he said. “And what keeps me going back is the volunteers wanting to do another beach cleanup. Because cleaning up the beaches is a job that never ends.” Moving forward, Boyce and Arterbury plan to reach out to local businesses and community leaders associated with each beach to gather lo- cal perspectives. With more than 8 million tons of plastic deposited into the ocean each year, focusing on educating people on what a beach cleanup can accomplish is an important step toward eliminating plastic pollution on Oregon’s beaches, Arter- bury said. “We want to allow every- one to see what inspires us to continue doing (beach clean- ups). Making a documentary about what a beach cleanup is will honestly make it eas- ier for everyone,” he said. “We want people to go to the beach, know you can grab a bit of plastic to help out and know why.” A Nehalem ranch has been praised for its work around wildlife conservation. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recog- nized Karen Kuntz and her Foley Peak Angus cattle op- eration with the Riley Free- man award during the Ore- gon Cattlemen’s Association and Oregon Cattlemen’s Convention and Tradeshow earlier this month in Bend. Kuntz has worked with the Natural Resources Con- servation Service and the Til- lamook Soil and Conserva- tion District to put a resource management system in place and encourage diverse habi- tat across her ranch, located in the Nehalem River water- shed. Foley Peak Angus em- ploys techniques like rota- tional grazing to maintain good field conditions and to reduce sediment and manure runoff into Tomlinson Creek, a tributary of Foley Creek and the Nehalem River. The ranch also maintains buffer strips along waterways, pro- viding good canopy and hab- itat for wildlife and keeping temperatures cooler for fish. 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