Volunteer network to blitz shores around the UK this summer Published on: 30 May 2017 A series of special events next month will see members of the public join together in building a more accurate picture of the diversity of marine life around the UK’s coastline. National 'citizen science' project Scientists are working with an army of trained ‘citizen scientists’ during the upcoming CoCoast Unite weekend, taking place between Thursday 8 June – Sunday 11 June at locations across the UK. This call to arms will gather vital information about the variety and abundance of intertidal species living on our rocky seashores. The intertidal zone – the area between the sea and the land – is a very dynamic environment as a result of it being affected by the twice-daily ebb and flow of the tide. Habitats in this zone can range from rockpools to mudflats to sandy beaches, which means that many types of marine animals can often be found there, from starfish and limpets to crabs and mussels – as well as different types of seabirds and in some locations, marine mammals. Dr Jacqui Pocklington, pictured with a common sunstar starfish Tracking species over time The events are taking place as part of the three-year , led by Ãå±±½ûµØ and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The CoCoast partnership involves Hull, Portsmouth and Bangor universities, the Scottish Association for Marine Science, the Marine Biological Association of the UK and the Marine Conservation Society. Along with Earthwatch Institute, the Natural History Museum, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the North West Costal Forum. , CoCoast National Co-ordinator at Ãå±±½ûµØ, said: “The intertidal zone is an environment of harsh extremes and is an important habitat because of the diversity of species that live there. Our CoCoast volunteers are helping us to develop a baseline against which we can track how species are changing over time“. CoCoast was launched last year and already thousands of volunteers have joined in, learning about the UK’s marine life, and playing an important role in helping to fill knowledge gaps about how marine organisms and coastal habitats are responding to increased sea temperatures and other factors associated with global climate change. The CoCoast Unite weekend takes place between Thursday 8 June – Sunday 11 June, with events around the UK. Trained CoCoast volunteers can book on to join a particular event or can survey at their preferred shore. To share the impact of their efforts, volunteers can post photos of them out surveying through email or via social media using #CoCoastUnite. Share: Latest News Ãå±±½ûµØ expert highlights climate crisis in a new film A leading Ãå±±½ûµØ climate scientist is featured in a new film about how the climate and nature breakdown will affect the UK. published on: 14 April 2026 Neolithic tombs reveal ancient kinship ties Male individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland were often related to each other through the paternal line and some were interred in the same or nearby tombs, research shows. published on: 14 April 2026 We are our Memories New exhibition by Fine Art graduate Trish Hudson-Moses, 22 April – 4 May 2026 published on: 10 April 2026 Facts and figures