The coastline so polluted it featured as a barren planet in Alien 3 - and how we saved it

As summer gets underway in earnest, millions of us will be heading to the coast. We are a nation of beach-goers: no one in the UK lives more than 80 miles from the sea, and our shores and cliffs hold a special place in our national identity. But the pristine beaches of Devon or South Wales or the wild Antrim Coast haven't always belonged to everyone - they were fought for and protected by many people over many decades. And without that collective spirit, the coastline would've looked very different. Nowhere tells the story better than the Durham coast.

Through much of the 20th century, it suffered some of the worst coastal pollution in the world thanks to nearby collieries. During the height of the industry, 2.5 million tons of waste were dumped each year. In fact, the sight of these blackened beaches was so arresting they were chosen as the backdrop for the opening sequence in the science fiction film Alien 3.

But the National Trust saw potential for nature to heal. In 1987, we purchased our first mile of the Durham coast. This marked the start of a new chapter for the landscape and a huge clean-up. Of course, a transformation of that scale wasn't possible alone so, a few years later, 14 organisations came together under the name Turning the Tide to heal the Durham coast. A monumental effort ensued, and the landscape bounced back.

Today, you can wander along those limestone headlands and sandy beaches and see wildflower meadows and a whole array of flora and fauna. A rare local butterfly - the Durham brown argus - has come back. Families and visitors have returned.

The change has been remarkable. As of this year, almost 900 miles of coast are cared for by the National Trust on behalf of the public, who have raised £114million to protect and rescue those, like Durham, once considered beyond redemption. From Wembury Point to The Needles and the White Cliffs of Dover, 10% of the coastline of England, Wales and Northern Ireland is protected, purely for the benefit of people and nature.

What started as a survey of the coast in 1965, has become one of the biggest environmental campaigns in Europe. Its name is Enterprise Neptune and we're celebrating its 60th anniversary. But as we look back on the successes, we must be clear the job is far from over. Today our coastline is facing perhaps its greatest challenge yet.

Climate change is causing seas to rise and storms to intensify, putting landscapes and wildlife at risk. The Government's own advisor, the Committee on Climate Change, has warned that the UK simply isn't prepared.

What's more, these threats aren't just happening on the coast - climate change is causing havoc to our landscapes, cultural heritage and nature everywhere. Helping nature on the coast helps us to mitigate those climate threats.

New areas of salt marsh at Cwm Ivy on The Gower and Northey Island in the Blackwater Estuary, Essex, act as buffers for rising sea levels and increasing storm surges. New wetlands at Cotehele Quay, Cornwall, are also allowing more space for floods from high tides, attracting wading birds and providing growing conditions for rare plants.

The Trust has pledged to restore nature over the next 10 years, so our seas, cliffs, countryside and cities are once again bursting with wildlife and playing their part to minimise climate threats. But we need everyone to get involved to meet the scale of the challenge.

This summer, we're encouraging those who want to help to "Adopt a Plot" of land. For a small donation of just £7.50 a month, you can help restore nature at one of six "super sites" dotted around the country - from planting trees and creating new meadows in the Peak District, to restoring Celtic rainforest in North Wales.

Every plot will help create a patchwork of wildlife-rich places. These ambitions might sound audacious. But nature has been brought back from the brink before, and together, we can do it again. Just like that brave move in Durham 40 years ago, it's time to turn the tide.

• To Adopt a Plot, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/adopt-a-plot