If you’re like me, you love going to the beach and soaking up the sun, sand and sea. Gulf Shores, Alabama is one of my favorite places to do that, because it has some of the most gorgeous beaches and water in the country. But did you know that these beaches are also home to a variety of animals and plants that need our help? That’s why the folks in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have started the Leave Only Footprints campaign, a cool way to keep the beaches awesome for everyone.
The Leave Only Footprints campaign is all about leaving the beach the way you found it, or even better. This means that you should take all your stuff with you when you leave the beach, like chairs, umbrellas, tents, coolers, toys and trash. Don’t leave anything behind on the beach after dark, because the beach patrol will come and take it away. This helps to keep the beach clean, save the animals from getting hurt or sick from eating or getting stuck in things they shouldn’t, and keep the coast looking beautiful.
The Leave Only Footprints campaign also wants you to follow some simple rules and tips when you’re having fun on the beach. These include:
All non-permitted personal items such as beach chairs, umbrellas, tents, ice chests and beach toys must be removed from the beach each night and may not be placed or remain on the beach before sunrise. Personal items left on the beach between one hour after sunset and sunrise may be treated by the City as abandoned property and be removed and disposed of as abandoned property.
Keep off the dunes. Staying off the dunes will help us to preserve our dune system and the habitat it provides. Use beach walkovers and boardwalks where provided.
Observe and obey Beach Warning Flag System. Double red flags means the waters are closed for your safety.
Be respectful of private property beyond the bounds of your lodging property.
Glass containers, metal shovels and tents larger than 10' x 10' are prohibited from the beaches of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan.
By doing these things, you can make sure you have a great time on the beach and also help out the environment and wildlife that make Gulf Shores and Orange Beach so amazing. You can also learn more about how to be green and eco-friendly by visiting the Leave Only Footprints website, where you can find tips on how to recycle, save water and energy and more.
The Leave Only Footprints campaign is not just a thing you do, but also a way you think. It’s about showing your love and respect for our beaches. As they say: “Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time.” Let’s all do our best to keep our coast awesome for years to come.
Thanks for reading this blog post about the beautiful beaches in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We hope you found it helpful. This blog is brought you by Aurora Del Mar, a newly-constructed vacation beach house for rent in Fort Morgan/Gulf Shores, Alabama. With six bedrooms and six bathrooms, this beach rental home is perfect for your next family vacation. Located steps from the sandy Gulf of Mexico beaches in the Morgantown community with a community pool, lighted tennis and pickleball courts, and more.