3.5 Tons of Trash were Cleaned from Towson Streams in April and May
Despite the pandemic, 225 Towson residents came out to help clean trash and debris out of Towson neighborhood streams this past April and May. These volunteers joined in the 16 stream clean-ups that Green Towson Alliance coordinated as part of Project Clean Stream with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Volunteers waded into the tributaries of the Herring Run and Jones Falls streams in Towson neighborhoods and pulled out 6,915 pounds of trash – including a life vest, lawn chairs, a Giant Food shopping cart, a car bumper, orange plastic fencing, a pickup truck load of pressure-treated wood, and several long,rusting pipes. They bundled all this trash into bags or vehicles and took it to the County landfill. Recyclables were also bagged and taken to the Baltimore County Recycling Center.
In addition, volunteers removed invasive vines and plants from areas in Riderwood and Idlewylde, as well as a third of a dumpster full of invasive multiflora rose and other invasive plants from Ridgely Manor Park.
The people who came out to clean the streams included families with children, Girl Scout Troops 1152 and 1417, Towson University students, and neighbors who were glad for the chance to clean the junk out of the local streams in their communities.
“We had just started the stream clean-up at Radebaugh Park when a group of 12 people – including two Moms with their children – literally ran up and asked to join the stream clean-up”, said Ray Heil, leader of the stream cleanup at Radebaugh Park. “They had heard from their neighbors that GTA was cleaning up the stream, and wanted to volunteer.”
Several officials came to help out, including State Delegate Cathi Forbes, County Councilman David Marks (with his 6th grade daughter), and the County Executive’s District 5 liaison, Amanda Carr.
Since its inception in 2015, Green Towson Alliance has cleaned out nearly 16 tons oftrash from local streams through these annual stream clean-ups. GTA members Dr. Carol Newill and Lauren Stranahan coordinated this year’s stream clean-ups.
“We were delighted that so many people came out to help despite the pandemic,” said Dr. Newill. “We followed COVID precautions: people worked in their own family groups or pods, and everyone wore masks. I think everyone enjoyed their morning in the sunshine and fresh air, helping to keep our environment clean.”
