All Outdoors -- News from the Missouri Department of Conservation


Two dates set for Missouri River cleanups

Volunteers will remove trash ranging from tin cans to major appliances
from two river reaches in central Missouri.

BOONVILLE, Mo.--Missourians looking for a way to connect with nature
and do something good for the environment might want to look into
Missouri River cleanup events planned for May and September.

Missouri River Relief has scheduled a trash cleanup for the reach of
river around Easley May 14 and for the stretch around Boonville Sept.
24.

Cooper's Landing Marina, located north of Easley on Highway N in
southeastern Boone County, is headquarters for the May event, which will
feature a post-cleanup party with live music and food. Among the most
anticipated features of these events is the announcement of winners of
the "best and oddest" trash item contests.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14. Participants should
bring their own water and wear long pants, boots or tennis shoes and
bring life jackets for any children that will travel by boat.

Scout troops, churches, civic clubs and other groups that plan to
participate are asked to register in advance at
www.riverrelief.org/cleanupsignup. Additional information is
available at the same Web site. For information about bands, food and
other aspects of the event, visit www.cooperslanding.net.

Franklin Island Conservation Area, located off Highway 40 and across
the river from Boonville in Howard County, will be headquarters for the
September event. Missouri River Relief will break new ground by
concentrating on the Boonville to Rocheport reach of the river.

The cleanup will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. Boats will
ferry volunteers to river banks and islands to pick up trash. Other
volunteers will pick up trash along nearby river banks, trails and
roads.

River Relief also will organize an educational event for school
children on Friday, Sept. 23 at Franklin Island Conservation Area. For
more information, visit www.riverrelief.org, or call 573/443-0292.

The cleanups rely on volunteers to collect trash ranging from tin cans
to major appliances. Turnout for the events often runs in the hundreds.
The results are equally impressive.

"We normally collect several tons of trash in one day," said Steve
Schnarr, coordinator for the May event. "The trash we collect pretty
much covers a barge. We sort it out and recycle everything possible. It
is a huge undertaking, but many hands make light work. Everyone involved
shares the desire to take care of this great river, and we have a great
time. Just being out on North America's greatest river is enough to make
the time worthwhile."

Although volunteers provide the labor, river cleanups rely heavily on
logistical and financial support from conservation-minded organizations.
They provide boats, trash bags, work gloves and help coordinate the
events.

Current river cleanup sponsors include the Missouri departments of
Conservation and Natural Resources, Ameren-UE, Anheuser-Busch, American
Compressed Steel, Bass Pro Shops, the City of St. Charles, the Great
Rivers Greenway District, Lafarge North America, the Midwest Area River
Coalition, REI Recreational Equipment, Tracker Marine, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency.

- Jim Low -