With some help from our friends at Toledo Metroparks and Wood County Parks and a bunch of dedicated volunteers, we’ve combined recreation with remediation this summer! 23 paddlers came out to Farnsworth Metropark on Sunday, August 19th to paddle to Missionary Island for a land-based cleanup. In less than three hours, they removed 642 pounds of trash from the island and four tires! Without their efforts, all this trash would have ended up as marine debris in the Maumee River. We are so encouraged to see so many people actively and passionately protecting our waterways. On Saturday, August 25th, PCS co-hosted a canoe cleanup with our partners at Wood County Park District on Hedges Island at Ostego Park which was unfortunately rained out. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 8th from 9-1pm if you would like to join! Registration is required through Wood County Park District by September 6th. Paddlers are often all-too aware of the problem of marine debris in our waterways. Next time you go out on your kayak or canoe, think about bringing a mesh bag with you so you can remove the marine debris you see on your paddle. If we want to continue to enjoy recreating on our streams, rivers, and lake, it’s important that we do our part to preserve their aesthetic and ecological integrity.
