A family visiting Gulf Shores at the end of May left "$1,000 worth of stuff" on the beach overnight and were surprised to find it gone the next morning.

To look for "advice on recovering our property" they posted to a "Gulf Shores and Orange Beach" group on Facebook asking why their stuff was taken away, even though it was "secured" and it wasn't "near where the tide comes in."

"Sounds like it was probably picked up by 'Leave Only Footprints' or whatever they're called," the post reads. "Yes, we realize we missed a sign while driving in but we've stayed here tons of years (always down the Fort Morgan peninsula) and never had to take all of our stuff up at night from the beach."

The post quickly received several hundred reactions and comments, which were turned off by an admin later that day. The post is resting at 78 comments and over 550 reactions.

Some comments suggested going through dumpsters or trash cans in the area for their belongings but to not expect them to still be there if it's been a few days. Others suggested checking the lost and found at hotels and condos.

Other comments explained the Leave Only Footprints initiative, which removes items from city beaches overnight year-round, and how it's not legally in place along Fort Morgan beaches.

"They have rules and you broke them," one comment reads on the city beach regulations. "They toss your items because you left it out on the beach. You can't do that and they have the law and ordinances on their side to legally do that."

Most of the comments were apologetic and encouraged taking it as "a learning experience."

Another comment says, "Keep in mind for your future visits that it is turtle nesting season so please don't leave all of your stuff out overnight to get in their way."

As previously reported by GCM, sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31. During these dates, sea turtle sightings, nests and hatchings can all be expected.

The Alabama Coastal Foundation website says, before leaving the beach for the day, to remove beach gear and trash to prevent any sea turtle obstacles that could result in an abandoned nesting attempt.

This removal is reinforced by Leave Only Footprints, which was established in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in 2007. According to the Leave Only Footprints section on Alabama's Beaches website, this program encourages beachgoers to remove all belongings from toys to tents by sunset each day. Anything left behind is removed by beach patrols.

Eco Clean Marine, a nonprofit organization focused on "protecting and preserving our local coastlines" hosts regular trash pickup days along beaches, parking lots and other areas that collect trash that could eventually wash into waterways.

Eco Clean Marine Founder Courtney Dombroski said, "every single piece of trash matters" and it's important to remove all trash from the beach to protect wildlife and "maintain clean, beautiful beaches."

"Even small items can have big consequences for marine life," she said. "Birds, fish and other animals often mistake trash for food or get tangled in it."

With Eco Clean Marine, Dombroski has seen a variety of trash or items left on the beach from large items like a tractor tire, couch, full-size grill and car bumper to smaller items such as an old iPhone, plastic wrappers, water bottles and Styrofoam.

Dombroski said plastic is "hands down" the most common type of trash found on the beach but another "big one" is Styrofoam. She said this is "especially detrimental" because Styrofoam breaks down into tiny pieces very easily and "just crumbles and spreads into the sand."

"They're scattered and nearly invisible but so damaging to the environment and almost impossible to remove once they break apart," Dombroski said on disintegrating Styrofoam pieces.

She said Eco Clean Marine "fully support(s)" the Leave Only Footprints initiative.

"It aligns with our mission by encouraging people to take their trash, toys and gear with them when they leave the beach," Dombroski said on Leave Only Footprints. "It's a simple but powerful reminder that our beaches are shared spaces – and they deserve our respect."

For beachgoers looking to leave the beach in a better state than they found it, Dombroski encouraged mindfulness toward cleaning up your own trash and keeping an eye on "light items" like napkins and wrappers that can easily be caught up in the wind.

"Bringing a small bag for your own trash and keeping an eye on your stuff can help keep our beaches beautiful," she said. "It doesn't take much to make a positive impact."

She encouraged residents and visitors to volunteer at the Eco Clean Marine cleanup events or get involved at mycleaneco.com. Cleanup dates, donation links and more information can also be found on the website.

"Our cleanups are family-friendly and we often have kids join with their parents. We create a safe, welcoming environment where children can learn about environmental stewardship while having fun," Dombroski said on all-age involvement. "Teens can also earn community service hours by volunteering with us."

Leave Only Footprints has many components of what not to do when at the beach. One component is to avoid walking in the sand dunes, which is prohibited by law in both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, according to the website.

Also, avoid digging holes in the sand more than 12 inches deep. This works to protect the nesting sea turtles as well as first responders to beach emergencies.

Something else Leave Only Footprints encourages among beachgoers is keeping pets off the beaches. However, the website does list several pet-friendly beach access spots.

Leave Only Footprints also advises against using bright lights at night and encourages visitors and residents to visit welcome centers in the cities to get red stickers that filter flashlights.

The program advocates recycling and, as the name conveys, leaving only footprints on Alabama's beaches.