Dear Editor,

On Sept.15, 2012 more than 3,000 volunteers on 30 different river locations removed 43,400 pounds of trash and 53,310 pounds of recyclable on 202 miles of river. This regional effort was part of the Fourth Annual Great Sierra River Cleanup supported by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and a variety of key partners throughout the region.

In the four years that the regional clean-up has been active, more than 570 tons of trash and recyclables have been removed from watersheds throughout the Sierra Nevada thanks to nearly 14,000 volunteers -- true collaboration.

On our watershed, the Chowchilla/Fresno River Watershed, clean-ups were conducted at the Oakhurst River Parkway, Indian Lakes Park, Merced River, Mariposa Creek and the San Joaquin River. More than 25 people helped clean-up the two locations in our area by collecting 42 bags of trash, along with a washing machine and toilet.

Volunteer participants range from concerned citizens, community organizations, college students and more. Many volunteers picked up the 'usual' items such as cigarette butts, beverage cans, baby diapers, tires and appliances but, out of all the 'strange' items found this year it should be noted that volunteers from the Kim Evans Memorial group in Mariposa found and removed the frame of a 1946 Ford.

In an effort to share the spirit of conservation internationally an Auberry man, Steve Haze, conducted a clean-up site in Ponta De Ouro, Mozambique (South Africa) while on vacation. Haze, the vice president of the Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council, was able to work with the Peace Park Foundation and Dolphin Care to recruit seven volunteers to remove 12 bags of trash along one kilometer of beach shoreline. This is only a small example of what one person can do.

Please contact your watershed coordinator to learn of more volunteer opportunities in the area at info@cfwatershed.org.

Brittany Dyer,

assistant watershed coordinator, Chowchilla/Fresno Rivers Watershed