Work Session Summaries 2016

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AWS Earth Day River Cleanup at ACBA

Saturday, April 23, 2016

THANK YOU to all the volunteers who braved the rain to participate in the Anacostia Watershed Society's Earth Day Cleanup. 67 volunteers joined forces to clean up trash along the river and the bike trails, haul brush from areas in the bioswale, and remove invasive vines and yellow iris on the edge of the river at the Anacostia Community Boathouse (ACBA)

Four groups worked from the ACBA boathouse:

Caryn Muellerleile led a group of about 15 volunteers (from AJCU) up across the biker/hiker bridge and then to the east and north towards the East Capital bridge. This group filled 20 bags of trash and 4 bags with recycling. In particular they found a lot of beverage containers (water, soda, alcohol) including a collection of at least 40 malt liquor bottles near a park bench).

Jenny Gurney led a group of 17 volunteers (mostly from ZGF Architects plus several individuals) to the west down M St. Her group picked up about 19 bags of trash and 1 bag of recyclables. At one point they explored on the other side of the railroad tracks and discovered a dumping site. They pull some of it out but it is going to require a return visit.

AWS volunteer Bill Cocke led a group of 15 volunteers across the hiker/biker bridge and then to the west, to the Barney Circle area. This group collected 28 bags of trash and 5 bags of recyclables. They also hauled out a dog crate, a crib mattress and a few other large items.

Jim Smailes and Mary Ellsworth guided a group of about 20 (mostly from ACBA: NCAWPA, DCStrokes, & Capital, but also from AJCU and ZGF) in clean up in the bioswale. Volunteers teamed up to pick up trash, cut invasive shrubs and saplings, and dig yellow iris. Another group of six hauled logs washed in from the river to a skimmer boat working with an US Army Corps of Engineers barge. All the logs lining the parking lot were removed, as well as 10-20 that had been pulled up into the bioswale.

Altogether over 67 volunteers removed 80 bags of trash, 12 bags of recycling, 4 tires and other large items, and a barge full of logs and brush! The day was a tremendous success and we owe a mighty big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who worked very hard, most of the time in pouring rain. A special thanks to volunteer group leaders Caryn, Jenny, Bill, and to Mary Perko who manned the welcome tent all morning. A very special thanks to USACE Jeff Peacock who arranged to bring the barge to our shore, and provided a pick up truck that helped haul trash bags from the biker/hiker trail. What a huge help it was to have the great support from USACE. Kudos to everyone who helped!

Photos from the day

Four photos below, photo credit to Jaclyn Lippelmann/Catholic Standard.