Volunteers gather and are assigned sections along the New River. NRC’s Dave Bassage snaps a pic of the map.
New River Conservancy (NRC) partnered with ReNew the New in the “Fall into the New” river cleanups on Saturday, August 26, 2023 in two locations, Glen Lynn, VA and Claytor Lake, VA. River Cleanups are crucial to protecting the waters, woodlands, and wildlife of the New River Watershed. Pollution in the New can harm physical habitat, transport chemical pollutants, threaten aquatic life, and interfere with human uses of the river. However each year we get help from our River Cleanup Volunteers, to remove trash from the river. In 2022, our river cleanups worked with 183 volunteers, removed 24,350 pounds of trash, and 374 tires from the New River and its tributaries.
Over 350 volunteers gathered at the Glen Lyn Park in Glen Lyn, VA at 8:30 that morning to receive their marching orders. Women and men, young and old, Scout troops, friend groups and work groups were split up into teams for different sections of the New River, both in the river and on land.
Glen Lynn Volunteers
Our team of 29 volunteers cleaned 3 miles of the New River into Shanklin’s Ferry, WV. Dave Bassage, NRC Program Director in West Virginia was part of this cleanup crew and reported “Big haul of tires today. 124 on our three mile stretch from upper to lower Shanklin’s Ferry, another 35-40 on the state line to upper Shanklin’s Ferry. Plus bagged trash and loose debris.”
Meanwhile, at the Claytor Lake boat ramp, another team of 12 volunteers from NRC and Friends of Peak Creek gathered to work on their section. Cathy Hanks, NRC New River Valley Program Director, was part of this cleanup crew and reported “A dozen volunteers for NRC represented Pulaski County, VA in the annual ReNew the New clean up. Three washing machines (yes I said washing machines) one tire and approximately 400 lbs. was removed from the New on Saturday. Great weather, great group and a great haul.”
We could only do these river cleanups, indeed alot of our work, without the dedication of volunteers throughout the New River Watershed and beyond. We couldn’t protect the New without YOU.
All of our river cleanups are posted on our website and all our social media pages. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with New River Conservancy, please contact Lisa Stansell-Galitz at Info@newriverconservancy.org
One of the washing machines hauled out of the New River.