Vermont River Cleanup Month Is Approaching; Volunteers Needed

You can help improve the streams and rivers of Vermont! Volunteers are needed for events throughout the month of September which is Vermont’s official River Cleanup Month. To find out about an event near you, check out the Vermont River Cleanup web pages atwww.watershedsunitedvt.org/vtrivercleanupor call Watersheds United Vermont at(802) 585-3569.

On the ground work has begun and events are currently planned from Springfield up to Morristown and from the Connecticut River Valley to Burlington with many in between. Find the event closest to you via the Watersheds United Vermont’s River Cleanup page. There you will find an interactive map and details about each event. Check back often as new events are posted weekly.

Watershed groups and municipalities alike are encouraging people to get out on the river. Nanci McGuire from the Rutland Natural Resource Conservation District says “Cleaning up streams is one of many ways the Rutland Natural Resources Conservation District (RNRCD) and the City of Rutland are encouraging people to get involved locally.” Kelly Stettner, Director of the Black River Action Team, has organized many river cleanup events stresses that “we can all be “somebody” and make a difference for cleaner water”. Furthermore, river cleanups are fun!

Other ways to assist and participate are to organize a cleanup event with friends, neighbors, or co-workers, or to notify Watersheds United Vermont of river locations that need cleanup attention. There are also resources on the website about how to organize and publicize your event.

Watersheds United Vermont is working with American Rivers and the Connecticut River Watershed Council,each with many years of river cleanup experience, to help watershed groups, business and volunteers organize and each with many years of river cleanup experience, to help watershed groups, businesses, and volunteers organize and connect withcleanup events. This year’s cleanup is also sponsored by WaterWheel Foundation and Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

Watersheds United Vermont was founded in late 2013 to support the state’s local watershed groups through information sharing, mentoring, collaboration and capacity building. Thanks to effective networking, our 31 members turn to each other and our 51 partner organizations for advice, best practice models, and project partnerships. Our services help our members be more effective, increase staff and volunteer support, raise more funds, and even establish new watershed associations in gap areas. Please contact WUV at[email protected]or 585-3569 for information or suggestions about Vermont River Cleanup Month.

Existing Cleanup Events as ofWednesday, August 19, 2015: