ANNUAL
MT. HOOD PUBLIC LANDS CLEAN-UP
TIME:
10 A.M. -- 3 P.M. --- RAIN OR SHINE!
CONTACT US
Volunteers of
all ages are wanted to assist in this year’s “Mount Hood Public Lands
Clean-Up”.
This event is beginning its eleventh year, and is an ideal project for just
about anyone, including families, organizations, and even businesses.
Throughout the Month of November in 2008 ~10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
meet at Mt. Hood Village, 65000 East U.S. Highway 26,
near the historic Village of Brightwood, Oregon
Complimentary Refreshments Served!
This effort takes place throughout the Month of November! We no longer
organize the public for clean-ups, since this special project, that has
spanned over a decade and a half, so far, has helped to eliminate these dump
sites that were such a blight on our environment. After years of targeting
these sites, they have now become very scare due to the 35-plus
mini-clean-ups that we undertake throughout the year. Our clean-up efforts,
which targets illegal dump sites every month of the year, has kept this
problem from growing. This is the final month to clean-up the trash dumps
before the harsh Winter weather prevents this activity from taking place.
People are urged to go out as a family, as a group of friends, or as an
organization, and clean-up illegal dump sites on your own. Or, you can
contact us for the location of potential illegal garbage dumps. Every
effort that we can put forth together, will keep this problem from growing
out of control.
For Information: Call (503) 622-4798; Email: cgsmthood@onemain.com.
Website: www.members.com/cgs-mthood.
will obviously have an even greater positive impact on the Mountain’s
ever-impressive natural environment.
It is
unfortunate to note that clean-up efforts on Mount Hood like this one are
becoming extremely necessary as
natural areas and cultural and historic sites are increasingly abused and
vandalized. Unfortunately, this beautiful Mountain and its surrounding
landscapes that have become the symbol of not only the State of Oregon, but also
the Northwest, seems to have become a “dumping ground” for household trash and
construction debris that comes from as far east of the Mountain as Hood River
and The Dallas, and from Washington State town’s as Battleground and Vancouver,
Washington.
It is
important to eliminate as much of this illegally-dumped human trash as possible
in our natural areas, for such debris has proven itself to be harmful to fish
and wildlife. This garbage ends up in our streams, riparian areas, and
wetlands, not to mention in wildlife habitats.
“Even the
items that we humans believe to be the least harmful to dump can have
devastating impacts to our wildlife species,” explained
Michael P. Jones,
one of the organizers. “Broken glass, which, unfortunately, seems to be part of
every illegal dump site, can cut both large and small animals. A child’s
balloon can kill birds when swallowed, as can the Œpopcorn’ materials used in
packing boxes.”
Over the
years, the adverse impact of human trash on wildlife have been witnessed
firsthand by a number of people. And, each time, the relatively simple task of
cleaning-up these illegal trash dumps becomes even more important.
“We have
unfortunately witnessed birds with plastic string or rope wrapped around their
legs, hanging dead in trees,” said Jones. “And, sadly, you also see small
wildlife species laying dead, having starved to death after getting entangled in
discarded or lost fishing line.”
The modern
conveniences of our society also can be harmful to wildlife if not properly
disposed of. Take for example those cluster of plastic rings that allows people
to easily carry a six-pack of beer or pop home from the store; they can be
deadly to wild critters.
“It is not
that unusual to see ducks, geese, or other bird species with their heads through
plastic rings that were designed to hold cans together for the convenience of
people”, said Jones. “This acts as a strangling device when it gets wrapped
around their throats. Yet, this tragedy can be avoided if we humans will cut
these plastic rings apart from one another so that if they do get around
wildlife, they will be less likely to be harmful to them.”
All human
garbage needs to be disposed of properly. If not, then our illegally-dumped
human trash will continue to injure or even kill our wildlife species.
“Even an
empty yogurt container, that seems so benevolent when discarded on the natural
landscape, has also been proven to be harmful to wildlife. Over the last year,
wildlife species in the Northwest, including even skunks, have been located with
this type of trash stuck onto their snouts. With the animal unable to remove it,
they have a great difficulty eating, drinking, and even seeing, this will
eventually help to kill them.”
“Most of the
wild critters that are harmed by our illegally dumped trash, go off where no
human eyes can see their pain and suffering,” said Jones, matter-of-factly. “We
never have the opportunity to see the terrible results of not properly taking
care of our garbage. If we could see the resulting adverse impacts to animals,
99% of the dumpers would most likely never do it again.”
Some of the
volunteers who will be assisting with the “Mount Hood Public Lands Clean-Up”
will be from Portland’s inner-city. In fact, it was students from Sabin
Elementary School who have actually been not only the primary labor force for
this event, but also the inspiration.
“Mount Hood
Public Lands Clean-Up” actually began as a unique effort through the Cascade
Geographic Society’s “Project Discovery”, which is an enrichment program that
introduces students from the inner-city to natural, cultural, and historic
sites. A group of participants from Nita Kreuzer’s fourth- and fifth-grade
class, many of whom had never been to the Mountain before, contributed their
time cleaning-up other people’s trash. And, they loved it, realizing just how
important their volunteer work was.
“The work of
the Sabin students touched a lot of people’s hearts,” explained Jones. “They
were not here recreating like most people, but, instead, they were here from the
inner-city doing a project that was so important to
Mount Hood.
“Watching
them work, one could not help but to be inspired by these individuals as they
gave their time to Mount Hood. And, always you remember the looks on their
faces and the excitement in their voices as they see the mountain of garbage
that they removed from
Mount Hood’s
natural landscape. This is why this clean-up has become such an important
tradition.”
Volunteers
assisting in the “Mount Hood Public Lands Clean-Up” will begin cleaning-up
“targeted” sites on Tuesday,
November 5th,
and will work throughout the next two weeks until Tuesday, November 12th, on
areas that are more difficult to reach. On Saturday, November 9, the largest
number of volunteers will come together to clean-up the easier and more visible
sites which will have the most garbage. Then on Sunday, still other volunteers
will complete cleaning any of the sites that did not get finished on Saturday.
“If you love
Mount Hood, or use it for any reason, this is a positive, hands-on way to
demonstrate it,” explained Jones. “This effort is critical because we’ll be
removing trash from the landscape which will be harder to clean-up after it goes
through the winter season.”
Those wishing
to volunteer for the “Mount Hood Public Lands Clean-Up” should meet whether rain
or shine in the Fireside Room at
Mt.
Hood
Village,
located at 65000 East U.S. Highway 26, near the Village of Brightwood. They
should bring gloves, a sack lunch, dress for the weather, and should expect to
have a great time while they help Mount Hood.
Desperately
needed are pickup trucks and trailers in all sizes. These will assist in
hauling trash from the illegal dump sites to the garbage dumpsters. Free
refreshments will be offered prior to the “Mount
Hood
Public Land’s
Clean-Up” as well as following. There will be some delicious baked goods for
the volunteers, as well as hot drinks.
Each
participant in the “Mount Hood Public Lands Clean-Up” contributes their time
because they realize just how important their efforts are to this impressive
Mountain of the Cascades. They will receive a “Certificate of Appreciation” for
their assistance in cleaning-up Mount Hood’s natural landscape.
For the
eight-day effort, the Cascade Geographic Society will have dumpsters placed at
the corner of U.S. Highway 26 & East Miller Road, which is located approximately
one-half mile west of Mt. Hood Village. As much as possible, the trash
collected will be recycled.
This Eleventh
Annual “Mount Hood Public Lands Clean-Up” should prove to be the best clean-up
effort ever, as mountains and mountains of trash vanish from the natural
landscape. It’s a positive way of giving back to a Mountain that gives so much
to so many people, but asks for nothing in return but respect.