Clermont County, OH – The East Fork Watershed Collaborative and Valley View Foundation are working together again this year with area partners to coordinate the 2013 Spring Litter Cleanup event in Clermont County and the East Fork Little Miami River watershed. The Spring Cleanup event is scheduled for Saturday, April 20th from 9:00 a.m. until noon. This year additional volunteers are needed to help spruce up 16 extra locations across the county and beyond, including Highland County and the City of Wilmington.
“Last year, we attracted over 800 volunteers and removed an estimated 20 tons of litter and trash,” says Vanessa Hannah, Executive Director for the Valley View Foundation. “Each year we aim to increase our numbers and involve more communities.” Recycling will also be emphasized this year. “We’re challenging each site to recycle as much of the litter as they can,” adds Hannah.
Litter found near streams is the largest concern in many communities. “Litter pollution harms the quality of our drinking water and the streams in which we swim, relax and fish,” says Becky McClatchey, watershed coordinator with the East Fork Watershed Collaborative. “Events like the spring cleanup can have a big impact on the overall reduction of litter and the event also helps to spread the message of pollution prevention,” adds McClatchey.
Sponsors of the Spring Clean-Up include the Duke Energy Foundation, Little Miami Inc., Buckeye United Fly Fishers, Clermont Water Resources Department, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Loveland Canoe & Kayak and the Clermont Visitor’s Bureau. Partnering agencies include the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) State Parks and Division of Watercraft, Clermont County Park District, Clermont Office of Environmental Quality, the Harsha Lake U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Highland Soil & Water Conservation District, the City of Wilmington, OSU Extension-Clermont and Clermont Soil & Water Conservation District.
Interested volunteers can register online at http://clermontswcd.org/volunteerriversweep.aspx, or call the Valley View Foundation at (513) 218-1098. Volunteers can choose from a list of clean-up sites and may have the option to use a free canoe.
The East Fork Watershed Collaborative is an informal agency/citizen-based watershed organization whose mission is to “Protect and enhance the biological, chemical and physical integrity of the East Fork Little Miami River Watershed.” In 2001, partners in Clermont, Brown, Highland and Clinton counties came together to form the EFWC in an effort to unify and strengthen watershed management.
The Valley View Foundation is a grassroots non-profit organization in Milford which was founded in 2002 to preserve 130 acres of the family farm located behind Pattison Elementary. VVF is focused on conserving land, preserving history and sharing with the community.