Forth Ports team up with environmental charity Balanced Horizon to deliver largest ever clean of the Firth of Forth 28-30 August
The Big Forth Cleanup will be a large-scale, community driven weekend of beach cleaning and juvenile lobster releases organised by Balanced Horizon in collaboration with Forth Ports.
The goal of the event is to clean as much of the coastline of the Firth of Forth over the course of the 28-30th August 2026, and is open to everybody of all ages. Pollution and litter are major problems facing this iconic waterway, with vulnerable and important wildlife species calling this environment home.
Balanced Horizon wants to clean the Forth up not only to protect these ecosystems, but also for everybody to enjoy the magnificent beaches and coastlines this part of the world has to offer.
Katy Reid, Group Head of Sustainability at Forth Ports, said: “It’s great to be partnering with Balanced Horizon for our first Big Forth Cleanup, which will be a landmark event all around the Firth of Forth with coastal clean up and juvenile lobster release events taking place from 28 – 30 August.
“This coastline is central to Forth Ports’ Scottish operations and plays a vital role in supporting the economy, local communities and the rich diversity of wildlife found both on land and at sea.
Bringing people together to take action at scale will make a meaningful difference in caring for and preserving the coastline and local environment. We are very pleased that so many individuals, organisations and local beach clean community groups have signed up to join the event and we invite everyone to get involved and be part of something that can have a lasting impact on the Forth.”
The event is self-led, meaning participants choose a beach to clean along the coast of the Firth of Forth. This can be done with the help of Balanced Horizon’s online interactive map, which shows the beach cleans part of the events that are taking place, helping participants target areas close to them, or identify areas in need of attention. You can join groups like the Scottish Seabird Centre, CLP Nature Action, and Coast to Coast Surf School with cleaning up our shores!
Kerrie Flockhart, Project Lead at Balanced Horizon, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Forth Ports to unite communities from across the Firth in a shared effort to protect and celebrate this incredible coastline.
“As well as removing litter, we want to shine a spotlight on the many community groups and individuals who already dedicate their time to caring for our shores.
We hope this event will help connect more people with those local efforts, inspire new volunteers, and create a lasting network of people working together to protect the Firth of Forth for years to come.”
As well as beach cleans taking place over the weekend, there will also be releases of juvenile European lobsters on the Sunday (30th) of the weekend in North Berwick, Anstruther and Kirckaldy, led by Balanced Horizon’s Forth Marine Hatchery project as part of their efforts to boost wild European lobster populations. These releases will be open to the public to get involved with!
With only a few weeks before we head out with our litter pickers, Balanced Horizon needs your help! If you are a group or an individual, please be encouraged to head to Balanced Horizon’s website to register to get involved.
For inquiries, please contact bella@balancedhorizon.org