A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Dart Harbour/Dart Estuary – its nature matters to us all
Dart Harbour or Dart Estuary (or to many ‘The River’), is the final tidal stretch of the River Dart’s water catchment that starts right up in the highlands of Dartmoor, where its freshwaters flow out and mix into the saltwaters of Start Bay.
The estuary’s tidal conditions support challenging habitats and special wildlife communities such as saltmarshes, tidal reedbeds and mudflats – all rivalling tropical rainforests for the amount of ‘blue’ carbon that they trap and most importantly store. Despite their challenging conditions, they are very highly productive communities that deserve our respect. The Upper Dart is designated as a Marine
Your Harbour,
Your Estuary Needs You! While you may have a small impact on our planet … there are a lot of us!
Here are some simple things that will make a massive difference when we all try.
Avoid saltmarshes
where possible - paddlers should take care when launching over or from sensitive shores
Cigarette butts are
plastic & toxic to aquatic life - Bin the Butt!
Only ever
the 4p’s down the Loo – Pee, Poo, Puke & Paper
Be aware of sensitive shore and seabed
communities – these are our carbon sinks – cross, paddle, motor and anchor carefully
Leave nothing
Be part of
the BioSecurity solution “CHECK – CLEAN – DRY”
This is a soft
water region – dose detergent for ‘soft water’
Be wildlife disturbance
sensitive – give it space & respect, it may be the law
Every
fuel/oil drop counts – refuel / top up with care
but ripples and footprints – take only photos & good memories
Keep
wake to a minimum … on the slow side!
Anti-foul may be a
necessary evil but make sure it’s in a tin, on your hull or being disposed of appropriately
Prevent Fat-Bergs
– reduce Food, Fats, Oils or Grease down the sink
Conservation Zone and the mouth as part of the coast’s Special Area of Conservation, parts of our national Marine Protected Areas network.
The Dart Estuary is a ‘drowned river valley’ or ria, formed through the last Ice Age; steep sided and deep waters, near perfect as a natural harbour. The estuary’s rainwater catchment area and geography mean that it is more freshwater dominated than most and its water quality more greatly influenced by that flowing down from its catchment, as well as how we use it locally as a harbour.
Refuse > Reuse > Recycle
Dog parents – dispose
of all dog poo
appropriately – in the sea it can pose a risk to bathers and water quality
Only Rain Down road
Drains, they lead to natural water courses
Litter
matters – collect your 5-a-day
Fit a holding
tank and use local pump-out facilities – if you must pump-out, only pump out on the ebbing tide or out to sea
Some of the best ways to enjoy the estuary and wildlife is to discover more about it and quietly experience its tranquillity from the water. You will almost certainly see seals and many birds - all here to feed from the estuary’s productive waters! The South Devon National Landscape website provides many free self-guided trails & guides about this special area – visit
www.SouthDevonAONB.
org.uk Maybe join an informative local tour - find out more from one of our local Information Centres.
Reduce >
Dart Harbour have a leading role within the long-term conservation management and stewardship of the estuary and we encourage our customers and stakeholders to join us in its pride and care. Further information is included within the pages of this guide (and on our website www.DartHarbour. org) - some of our priority issues include:
South Devon
Salcombe EcoPort
Yacht Taxi - Ch 69 tel: 07970 346571 47
• Improving water quality • Minimising wildlife disturbance • Avoiding litter & managing waste • Habitat conservation with a current focus on saltmarsh • Biosecurity and the prevention of spreading invasive species
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