Get involved with your coastline - there are many groups looking for people able to donate some time to help with their projects. These are just a few:

Adopt-A-Beach & Beachwatch

Organised by the Marine Conservation Society, Adopt-A-Beach and Beachwatch bring together groups, communities and individuals with an interest in caring for their coastal environments. Everyone is invited to adopt their favourite stretch of coast and take part in annual or quarterly beach cleanings, or regular litter surveys. Find your local adopted beaches on the Adopt-A-Beach website, or register your own clean-up.

The Great Eggcase Hunt

In recent decades several species of skate and ray around the British coast have dramatically declined in numbers. The empty eggcases that wash up on beaches all year round are an easily accessible source of information on the whereabouts of skate and ray nursery grounds.

The Great Eggcase Hunt needs help with the identification of these critical areas which will enable the Shark Trust to propose conservation measures, in order to reverse the decline of these charismatic animals. Great Eggcase Hunt

Marine Conservation Society

The Marine Conservation Society is a UK charity dedicated to caring for our seas, shores and wildlife. The Society campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, protection of marine life and habitats, and the sensitive use of our marine resources for future generations.

Through education, community involvement and collaboration, the Society raises awareness of the many threats that face our seas and promotes action to protect the marine environment. MCS provides information and guidance on many aspects of marine conservation and produces the annual Good Beach Guide, the Good Fish Guide and Fishonline on sustainable seafood, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Beachwatch, Adopt-a-Beach and Basking Shark Watch. The MCSUK website has lots of suggestions for how you can help.

The Marine Life Information Network - MarLIN

MarLIN provides a link between the public and our marine environment through a number of projects and initiatives. MarLIN’s website hosts a wealth of information on different species and habitats found in the UK and receives in excess of one million hits per month. MarLIN has developed a series of interactive education and outreach initiatives including recording activities and on-line games, designed to encourage volunteer recording of marine life sightings through the Sealife Survey and on-line recording.

There's also a recording hotline and participants are also invited to report sightings by text, phone or even photomessaging. And the Sealife Signpost initiative is a scheme that provides guidance on marine life recording projects that people can join and where people can send specific sightings to.

Through the Alien Invaders and Climate Change Indicators project, MarLIN staff visit schools to teach students how to identify non-native and climate change indicator species - training them as ‘Alien Detectives’. A-level students and volunteers can get involved with the Shore Thing, which aims to monitor the effects of a predicted increase in sea temperature by collecting data from around our coasts on the distribution and abundance of 22 intertidal climate change and non-native species.

All the records from the Shore Thing, Aliens project and volunteer recording are verified and contribute to national data sets and MarLIN mapping services.

To find out more, visit the MarLIN learning zone online.

National Trust

Originally founded by just three volunteers in 1895, Europe's most successful conservation movement now has a volunteer force some 47,000 strong - and is always looking for more people who want to learn new skills, develop their CV, make new friends and help protect the nation's heritage. Some 700 miles of coastline across England, Wales and Northern Ireland is under the Trust's stewardship. Find out more about volunteering opportunities with the National Trust.

RSPB

The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and other wildlife, helping to create a better world for us all. The RSPB - and its million members - exists to conserve wild birds and the environment. With wildlife and the environment facing many threats, the Society's work is focused on the species and habitats that are in the greatest danger. Get involved at RSPB.org.uk.

Seasearch

Seasearch is a volunteer underwater survey project for recreational divers to record observations of marine habitats and the life they support. The information gathered is used to increase knowledge of the marine environment and help its conservation. Divers - of all degrees of aptitude - can participate in training courses in marine habitat and species identification, and survey methods.

In 2006 Seasearch received 1145 record forms from all around the UK and currently has a publicly available database containing data from 1977-2006 comprising 104,534 records of 2,021 marine species from 3,363 sites. They need the support of divers all around the UK to make the project a success. You can take part on dives with your buddy, club dives or on Seasearch organised dives and expeditions. Survey your favourite dive sites or use the project as an excuse for an expedition to somewhere new. They're looking for information from right around the UK and the Seasearch website is the first step to getting involved.

Sea Watch Foundation

Sea Watch is a national charity, dedicated to the conservation and protection of cetaceans - whales, dolphins and porpoises - around the UK. Sea Watch is looking for Observers to join its Sightings Network - the best and easiest way to get involved and to directly contribute to their monitoring work. All you need is enthusiasm, a pair of binoculars and a little patience. If you spend time at sea or by the coast, or if you plan to visit the seaside, take time to look around and record what you see – and what you don’t! Recording forms can be downloaded from the Sea Watch website. Please fill in as many details on the recording form as possible, and don’t forget to return the completed forms.

Although all information on whales, dolphins and porpoises is useful, it is essential that observers regularly collect 'effort related' data. 'Effort-related' data means that an observer times their watch and collects environmental data every 15 minutes during the watch. Watches can take place at any time, so long as the starting point, date and location are carefully recorded.

Surfers Against Sewage

Surfers Against Sewage is a UK-based non profit-making organisation campaigning for clean, safe recreational waters, free from sewage effluents, toxic chemicals, marine litter and nuclear waste. Their core objective is to ensure that anyone who wishes to enjoy the water, from year-round surfers to summertime beach visitors, can do so without fear of falling ill.

The Surfers Against Sewage campaign has already had a considerable impact on the whole sewage debate and the UK has now started to clean up its act in reducing the amount of sewage pollution. As a result of this campaign, they've become respected eco-campaigners and are now putting skills learnt to good use in campaigning vigorously on a broader range of water issues that can affect the health of people - and that of the marine environment.

Current campaigns include sewage and sickness; safer shipping; no to toxics; climate chaos and marine litter. The Surfers Against Sewage website offers more about these campaigns.

The Green Blue

The Green Blue aims to promote the sustainable use of coastal and inland waters by boating and watersports participants, and the sustainable operation and development of the recreational boating industry. The idea is to connect with the recreational boating community, suggesting small steps which can help minimise or even avoid negative environmental impacts altogether.The Green Blue is for everyone who enjoys getting out on the water, or whose livelihood depends on boats and watersports. The programme consists of academic research, information provision and practical projects, focusing on 6 impact areas: oil and fuel; cleaning and maintenance; anti-fouling and marine paints; waste management; resource efficiency and effects on wildlife. You can read more about the campaign and find out how to get involved on The Green Blue website.

Wildlife Trusts

There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, with 670,000 members supporting 2,200 nature reserves comprising some 80,000 hectares of land. The Wildlife Trusts' partnership works on all aspects of nature conservation across the UK. Large, but local too - the chances are there's plenty you can do close to home which will benefit the environment and wildlife in your area.

From community gardening to species surveying, from looking after nature reserves to running Wildlife Watch groups enabling young people to discover and explore their local environment, Wildlife Trust volunteers carry out a huge range of tasks. Opportunities don't have to be outdoors either - volunteers with the Trusts can find themselves making good use of organisational, IT, administrative or financial skills too. Find out which Trust works in your area, and how to become a member, visit the Wildlife Trusts website.

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