| ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Comptons Creek Cleanup - Saturday, May 31, 2008 The NY/NJ Baykeeper, Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, Friends of Pews Creek, and Middletown Environmental Commission conducted a cleanup of Compton's Creek in the general area of Church Street, Belford/Port Monmouth, NJ. On Saturday, May 31, 2008 from 9am to 12noon, The NY/NJ Baykeeper, Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, Friends of Pews Creek, and the Middletown Environmental Commission participated in a cleanup of
Decades of ignorance and neglect by the local community have let the tidal wetlands of Comptons Creek near its mouth become an illegal dumping ground for people to throw away their bottles, cans, old tires, and other household junk. In addition, street runoff and nonpoint source pollution from all over the bay has accumulated heaps of trash into the wetland.
Joining forces to help reclaim the wetlands of Comptons Creek are the Middletown Environmental Commission, the non-profit New York-New Jersey Baykeeper, and both the all-volunteer Bayshore Regional Watershed Council and Friends of Pews Creek. These groups have joined a nation wide effort to keep our local waterways and wetlands clean in
Over 30 volunteers joined in the effort on this early, sultry Saturday morning to clean up Comptons Creek. They came from all over the Bayshore Region (including from Keyport, Hazlet, Holmdel,
Standing chest-high in Comptons Creek, Joe Martin, President of Friends of Pews Creek and a local resident of
Other folks on this day who trekked through wetland mud or waded into the water in old clothes and sturdy shoes, dragged out garbage bags full of glass and plastic bottles, thousands of pieces of plastic and cigarette butts, fast food bags and containers, plastic bags, old lobster barrels, old tires, old fishing rope and line, old bicycles, and even an old household hot water heater. They hauled out literally tons of garbage, from trash to water heaters; it was garbage and debris that has no purpose being there.
The cleanup was the first of its kind in many years in which volunteers were asked to help with trash pickup. Without the good work from these volunteers, this garbage just wouldn’t disappear. The garbage would accumulate and continue to be an eye-sore to pollute the water and to clog up the creek.
After the clean up, volunteers piled high the many bags of trash and garbage collected along
Although everyone worked really hard to make it thoroughly a worthwhile and successful cleanup, the event could not have taken place without the planning and support of the New York – New Jersey Baykeeper, Joe Martin from Friends of Pews Creek, and Lucinda from Belford who helped to start this cleanup going. Special thanks also go to Cliff from Keyport IHOP who donated gift certificates to all the volunteers. Thanks to everyone!
Today proved that a small group of dedicated people can make a positive difference in the life of a Bayshore community.
| ||||||||
print
