HELP CLEAN AND RESTORE OUR CREEKSHelp Us Remove Trash and Improve
Habitat in our Downtown Creeks eventleaf.com/creekcleanup
More Information Habitat Restoration . . . A special arundo removal crew. Arundo is an invasive bamboo-like plant that chokes out plants that are good for wildlife. Removing arundo is one of the most effective things we can do to improve the habitat. We will cut the arundo, pass the stalks up to top of bank, and load them into a dumpster. Must be 14 or over. Restoration site maintenance. Every year we need to tidy up our habitat restoration site and pull weeds. In General . . . Pre-registration is required at eventleaf.com/wc-creekcleanup. It is available until the evening before the event. Signed waiver forms are required for all participants. They are available on the registration website, at FriendsoftheCreeks.org and at the event (but see next paragraph). Check-in begins at 9:00. It saves time if you have already completed your waiver form, but of course the forms will be available on site. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must sign the waiver – think ahead. You will be assigned to a crew; each crew will clean one part of the creeks downtown. You must be at least 7 years old to participate. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Parents of children under 10 should honestly assess the child's capabilities -- creek banks are steep and uneven and contain hazards. Many types of garden gloves are suitable, from stiff leather ones to cloth to anything between. Latex gloves can be useful for picking up small items but they are likely to tear on sticks and branches.. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy closed-toe shoes or sneakers that you do not mind getting dirty or wet. Sandals or flip-flops will not protect your feet. Long sleeves and pants will protect you from the underbrush. Other items to consider are a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and water. Plan to get wet. Most people will go home dry. Some may wade in the creek and occasionally someone may get in deeper. What you need to think about is wearing stuff that will not be ruined by water. Think also about storing keys, wallet, phone, and other valuables in a secure, waterproof way. Just in case you do get wet, you might want to bring a piece of plastic to protect your car on the way home. It is not necessary to bring gardening tools. Occasionally clippers, a trash grabber, or a pole for loosening trash stuck in trees can be useful. Occasionally bad weather causes us to cancel the creek cleanup for your safety. If it has been cold or has rained a lot just before the cleanup date, the water may be too cold or too high. If the weather has been doubtful the week before the cleanup, we will make a decision on Thursday whether to cancel the event. If the event is cancelled, registered participants will be emailed a cancellation notice on Thursday evening. |