Post by nancy on Jun 21, 2009 11:58:12 GMT -5
The Great Wilderness Cleanup 2009 Results
CANADA
Kawartha Brigade - Our own cleanup group, including yours truly, my brother Ron and his faithful companion, Murphy the Golden Retriever, Kevin Callan and his little girl, Kyla, Kevin’s buddy/paddling partner Ashley, and Mike (Lost Canoe) and his fiance, Deb. Between the 8 of us, we cleaned up Gold, Cold and Cox Lakes in the Kawartha Highlands, taking out a total of about 8 bags of garbage. Kevin, Kyla and Ash came out for the day on Saturday, Mike and Deb stayed until Sunday and cleaned up the rest of Cold Lake on their way out, and Ron and I stayed until Monday, heading over the portage to Cox Lake on Sunday to take out 2 bags from there. We also found an old rusty full-size propane BBQ and old patio-type table at our campsite on Cold Lake (on an island!!) Despite the many, many black flies and the torrential rains on Saturday, we had a successful - and really fun - weekend!
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Callan
1st Milton Venturers - Our devoted Scouts group (all grown up now even!) took their cleanup to the Bottle/Sucker Lakes region in the Kawartha Highlands, just a portage away from our own. Eight troopers braved the bugs and the rain during the Mother’s Day weekend cleanup event, picking up about 4 bags of garbage during their stay, along with, believe it or not, an exercise bike frame found several feet up in a tree! Check out Alex Hill’s pics here:
picasaweb.google.ca/ahill905/WildernessCleanupMay2009#
Photo Courtesy of Alex Hill
The Wolf Pack - Several volunteers gathered at The Wolf Den Bunkhouse near Algonquin Provincial Park for their annual cleanup blast. The Wolf Den provided 1/2 price accommodation to participants, Algonquin Outfitters provided free canoes for the event and Algonquin Provincial Park provided free day-passes to the volunteers. As every year, and unfortunately I might add, LOTS of trash was found around the Hwy #60 corridor of APP. The Wolf Pack filled a truckload. They found the usual beer cans and bottles, and a lot of disposable diapers, just left on the ground in parking lots. Also taken out were small - and large - propane canisters. According to Randy Mitson of Algonquin Outfitters, other items included “a flat tire on a rim, lots of broken glass, various sandals, a T-shirt, two shot glasses at one scenic point, an unused still-in-the-wrapper tampon, the metal bar that goes under a pick-up to stabilize one of those in-the-bed campers, various pipes, a 26oz bottle of liquor at the art centre, OH and I found an aluminium fishing boat that was really beat up cashed in the woods, looked like a tree had maybe fallen on it...”.
Molly & the Mermaids - This devoted group once again took their weekend cleanup canoe trip to Eels Creek in the Kawartha Highlands. The 5 group members took out, according to group leader, Lisa Anttila, “a 20 litre pail full of glass & more in bags, 2 garbage bags + 1 MNO bag of other stuff (one full recyclables & 1 1/2 bags of garbage), 3 chairs, 1 cooler, fuel cans, etc.” They discovered that the north side of High Falls was “very clean” and confirmed their findings when they found the dumpster already full of “stuff”). Molly & the Mermaids found the south side of High Falls to be “gross”...”Tons of beer cans and bottles, tampons, pads, chip bags, broken coolers, shoes, diapers. Ugh. At one site it had all been collected into a firewood bag but left they’re hanging on a tree.”
Photos Courtesy of Lisa Anttila
The Killer B’s - This family did a ‘killer’ cleanup in Algonquin Park the weekend before Mother’s Day. Their plans included cleaning up all of the campsites on Head Lake, but ended up being wind bound both Friday and Saturday. Before heading home on Sunday, they ‘buzzed’ around the lake as much as they could and also flew over the portage from Cache Lake to Head Lake to clean it up, too. In just a short time they collected 3 park bags full of garbage, as well as a sock (one again) and a rusty Coleman 1-gallon fuel can.
Photos Courtesy of The Killer B’s
The Garbage Pickers - A mother/daughter/friend group, took to the trails...the Mer Bleu trails to be precise... in the Greenbelt of the Ottawa area. Most of the trails they found well kept, so they cleaned up the ditches around the entrance to the first trail. When they reached the third trail, however, they discovered a horrible dumping ground under a beautiful old tree just off the trail. with “bottles, cans, an old bed frame, etc.” The group later informed the National Capital Commission about the dump. Kudos to you all!!
Joel Cooper & Company - Joel and a couple of friends took a powerboat to cover a 90 km area of the eastern Lake Superior shoreline on May 25th, including 9 wilderness campsites. Wow, 90 km!!! They also took a gander around “the shoreline of the proposed Lake Superior Highlands Conservation Reserve. Thankfully, they didn’t find much garbage this spring, not even a grocery bag full, but found some large plastic brought in by waves and not left by campers. I like the sound of that!!!!
Photo Courtesy of Joel Cooper
Tire-Free Rivers & The Tumblehome Paddlers - Ken Corbett of Tire-Free Rivers and members of the Tumblehome Paddlers’ Club joined together on June 8th to do an evening paddle around the shores of Killarney Lake in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Together they gathered about 5 bags of garbage, 3 tires, beer cans, beach toys, plastic bags, and “other junk”. Ken makes it a mission, like I do, to do what he can. Thanks Ken!
Photo Courtesy of Ken Corbett (Tire-Free Rivers & Tumblehome Paddlers)
tirefreerivers.bravehost.com/index/canada/nb/saintjohn/numbers104-106.shtml
Aquatic Park Sailing Club - For the second year, the APSC joined in The Great Wilderness Cleanup to help clean up our ‘urban wilderness’, hosting their annual “Spring Leslie Spit Clean-up”. Located in Tommy Thompson Park, it is a large area of ‘urban wilderness’ which can be seen from Toronto’s downtown and this year coincided with the Bird Festival. Many members of the public pitched in by grabbing a couple of garbage bags and, according to Club Commodore, Mike Robbins, went “roaming the backwoods of the Spit along with our own members, and CLEANING THINGS UP!” As Mike says about an old Chinese proverb, “a space that is kept by many should be swept by many.” I agree.
Saskatoon Canoe Club - Bryan Sarauer of the Saskatoon Canoe Club organized a cleanup event to cover the South Saskatchewan River, but, unfortunately, the day of the cleanup was rained out and Bryan was the lone participant. Not to worry, however, Bryan showed his true dedication and love for the wilderness by going out on his own to clean up the riverbeds and sandbars in the area. He spent a couple of hours on a rainy day collecting 2 mid-sized bags of garbage. Kudos to you, Bryan!!
Team Solo - David Sullivan aka Preacher took a solo trip in APP from the Magnetewan access point and went to Little Trout Lake and back. He found “lots of small stuff”, along with a grill, a shoe (why is it always one?). Thanks, Preacher.
Pick-up Artists - Eleven members from the website forum of Algonquin Adventures took a weekend and cleaned up Craig Lake. All they could find was less than one bag of garbage. YAY!!!!!!!
Canuckcamper - Canuckcamper decided he wanted some time to himself, so he took off for the Massasaugua area. He collected all of 1/2 bag of garbage over 3 sites. He says he also found a bear along the way....
Dutchie - Dutchie did a route in APP the weekend before Mother’s Day and found just a couple of candy wrappers. Whoohoo!!!
USA
Unfortunately, due to work and family responsibilities, our USA leader, Greg ‘Bo’ Bowers, was unable to participate in this year’s cleanup event. No other groups from the USA volunteered, I’m sad to report. Let’s hope next year is better.
UK
MagiKelly (John Kelly) - John led the UK cleanup this year, and as last year, it was a great success. John’s own group went to Castle Semple Loch on Sunday, May 10th for their event. Many volunteered, including ‘The Ginger Paddlers’, Maz & Conner, Teuchter, Packman, Bluecanoe, Mick & sons, Driftwood, and MagiKelly himself. By the time they were done, they collected more than 5 garbage bags, along with “the usual bottles, cans, plastic bags, wrappers, fast food containers, paper, etc., wheel and tire, 2 traffic cones, beer crate, punch bag, trike, buckets, a piece of gas main, M&S camp chair, fishing lures/lines/hooks galore, 7 or 8 buoys and much more that had no place being where it was.” They also found a fishing scale, pliers, 2 rod bags, hand gel and “a large plastic sheet wrapped round a submerged log”. “Wow“, is all I can say about that.
Photos Courtesy of “MagiKelly” aka John Kelly
The Sea Cadets (Kazbunny) - Kazbunny led some Sea Cadets on a training expedition to the Chichester Canal, not only to teach them paddling skills, but also to teach them about keeping our environment clean. Thanks for that!! They came up with 4 garbage bags full of trash, finding mostly the usual things such as “plastic bottles, beer cans, plastic sheeting, crisp packets, fishing lines/hooks, dead fish (OK, maybe not so usual)...oh and we found a ball to play with too”. Their most favourite find was a nice bag of “doggy poo”. Lovely...
Photos Courtesy of “Kazbunny”
BRAZIL
I do know that our Brazil leader, Tony Osse, had great plans for a cleanup event the first weekend of May, but I have not yet heard from him. I have repeatedly attempted to contact him, but to no avail. I believe he told me that he would be out of the country during June, so my hope is that I will hear from him in the near future and will then be able to report on his successes. Most of all, I hope Tony and his family are all OK and doing fine during their time away.
FINLAND
The Finnish Open Canoe Association (Jaakko P. Makikyla, President) - Welcome to our new chapter in The Great Wilderness Cleanup!! The Finnish Open Canoe Association organized their first annual cleanup this spring, and what a wonderful job they did!! Several groups did “TrashPaddlings” in many areas of Finland; the northernmost was in the city of Oulu, which is 65 degrees north on the map. Overall, they took out over 20 large garbage bags of trash, a bicycle, some wheels & tires, traffic signs, some unused fishing traps, and the usual plastic bottles, etc. An unusual find was a ‘message in a bottle’, written by two 14-year old girls who wanted to know some answers about life. (Last year “Molly & the Mermaids” also found a ‘message in a bottle’.)
Photos Courtesy of Photo Finnish Open Canoe Association
Personal Comments
Each year I do this with Kevin Callan, I am still speechless after I finally put all these results and photos together at the end. I admit sometimes it’s difficult to keep going with this effort because it takes up a lot of time, but when I look at what I just wrote down up there, it makes the whole thing totally worthwhile. It just amazes me what we can all accomplish by getting together towards a common goal.
To this day, I still don’t understand why people dump their garbage anywhere and everywhere they feel like dumping it. It baffles me. It’s just so simple to take back out what you took in. I mean, they made the effort to get it all there so why not do the same to take it out? What’s the excuse? There is none.
Although participation was down a bit this year, the countless volunteers who gave up their personal time and put in the effort to get out there during a rainy and buggy weekend to help clean up our wilderness just makes me so very proud. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of it. Give yourselves all a big pat on the back because you deserve it!
Many thanks to all of this year’s sponsors, including Canada Post, Nova Craft, The Boston Mills Press (Wilderness Pleasures by Kevin Callan), Explore Magazine, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Eureka!, M&M Meat Shops, OutdoorAdventureCanada.com, Touchwood Editions (A Fork in the Trail by Laurie March), WildernessCooking.com, Scouts Leader Gerry Neilands (hiking/portage signs), The Wolf Den Bunkhouse and last but certainly not least, Algonquin Outfitters. Your support is priceless. I hope I didn’t miss any, please let me know if I did.
Also my thanks to the many website forums that have let me post pages and pages about this cleanup. It is with your help that this cause has become a global one.
Special thanks go to my partner, Kevin Callan, who has been behind me 100% since day one. Couldn’t do this without you, Kevin.
Most of all, dear volunteers, I thank YOU for supporting me in this cause and for giving up your personal time to do a good deed. I just hope you have fun while you’re out there.
Congratulations to everyone!! Together we ARE making a real difference.
Stay tuned folks because we’ll be announcing winners soon!!
CANADA
Kawartha Brigade - Our own cleanup group, including yours truly, my brother Ron and his faithful companion, Murphy the Golden Retriever, Kevin Callan and his little girl, Kyla, Kevin’s buddy/paddling partner Ashley, and Mike (Lost Canoe) and his fiance, Deb. Between the 8 of us, we cleaned up Gold, Cold and Cox Lakes in the Kawartha Highlands, taking out a total of about 8 bags of garbage. Kevin, Kyla and Ash came out for the day on Saturday, Mike and Deb stayed until Sunday and cleaned up the rest of Cold Lake on their way out, and Ron and I stayed until Monday, heading over the portage to Cox Lake on Sunday to take out 2 bags from there. We also found an old rusty full-size propane BBQ and old patio-type table at our campsite on Cold Lake (on an island!!) Despite the many, many black flies and the torrential rains on Saturday, we had a successful - and really fun - weekend!
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Callan
1st Milton Venturers - Our devoted Scouts group (all grown up now even!) took their cleanup to the Bottle/Sucker Lakes region in the Kawartha Highlands, just a portage away from our own. Eight troopers braved the bugs and the rain during the Mother’s Day weekend cleanup event, picking up about 4 bags of garbage during their stay, along with, believe it or not, an exercise bike frame found several feet up in a tree! Check out Alex Hill’s pics here:
picasaweb.google.ca/ahill905/WildernessCleanupMay2009#
Photo Courtesy of Alex Hill
The Wolf Pack - Several volunteers gathered at The Wolf Den Bunkhouse near Algonquin Provincial Park for their annual cleanup blast. The Wolf Den provided 1/2 price accommodation to participants, Algonquin Outfitters provided free canoes for the event and Algonquin Provincial Park provided free day-passes to the volunteers. As every year, and unfortunately I might add, LOTS of trash was found around the Hwy #60 corridor of APP. The Wolf Pack filled a truckload. They found the usual beer cans and bottles, and a lot of disposable diapers, just left on the ground in parking lots. Also taken out were small - and large - propane canisters. According to Randy Mitson of Algonquin Outfitters, other items included “a flat tire on a rim, lots of broken glass, various sandals, a T-shirt, two shot glasses at one scenic point, an unused still-in-the-wrapper tampon, the metal bar that goes under a pick-up to stabilize one of those in-the-bed campers, various pipes, a 26oz bottle of liquor at the art centre, OH and I found an aluminium fishing boat that was really beat up cashed in the woods, looked like a tree had maybe fallen on it...”.
Molly & the Mermaids - This devoted group once again took their weekend cleanup canoe trip to Eels Creek in the Kawartha Highlands. The 5 group members took out, according to group leader, Lisa Anttila, “a 20 litre pail full of glass & more in bags, 2 garbage bags + 1 MNO bag of other stuff (one full recyclables & 1 1/2 bags of garbage), 3 chairs, 1 cooler, fuel cans, etc.” They discovered that the north side of High Falls was “very clean” and confirmed their findings when they found the dumpster already full of “stuff”). Molly & the Mermaids found the south side of High Falls to be “gross”...”Tons of beer cans and bottles, tampons, pads, chip bags, broken coolers, shoes, diapers. Ugh. At one site it had all been collected into a firewood bag but left they’re hanging on a tree.”
Photos Courtesy of Lisa Anttila
The Killer B’s - This family did a ‘killer’ cleanup in Algonquin Park the weekend before Mother’s Day. Their plans included cleaning up all of the campsites on Head Lake, but ended up being wind bound both Friday and Saturday. Before heading home on Sunday, they ‘buzzed’ around the lake as much as they could and also flew over the portage from Cache Lake to Head Lake to clean it up, too. In just a short time they collected 3 park bags full of garbage, as well as a sock (one again) and a rusty Coleman 1-gallon fuel can.
Photos Courtesy of The Killer B’s
The Garbage Pickers - A mother/daughter/friend group, took to the trails...the Mer Bleu trails to be precise... in the Greenbelt of the Ottawa area. Most of the trails they found well kept, so they cleaned up the ditches around the entrance to the first trail. When they reached the third trail, however, they discovered a horrible dumping ground under a beautiful old tree just off the trail. with “bottles, cans, an old bed frame, etc.” The group later informed the National Capital Commission about the dump. Kudos to you all!!
Joel Cooper & Company - Joel and a couple of friends took a powerboat to cover a 90 km area of the eastern Lake Superior shoreline on May 25th, including 9 wilderness campsites. Wow, 90 km!!! They also took a gander around “the shoreline of the proposed Lake Superior Highlands Conservation Reserve. Thankfully, they didn’t find much garbage this spring, not even a grocery bag full, but found some large plastic brought in by waves and not left by campers. I like the sound of that!!!!
Photo Courtesy of Joel Cooper
Tire-Free Rivers & The Tumblehome Paddlers - Ken Corbett of Tire-Free Rivers and members of the Tumblehome Paddlers’ Club joined together on June 8th to do an evening paddle around the shores of Killarney Lake in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Together they gathered about 5 bags of garbage, 3 tires, beer cans, beach toys, plastic bags, and “other junk”. Ken makes it a mission, like I do, to do what he can. Thanks Ken!
Photo Courtesy of Ken Corbett (Tire-Free Rivers & Tumblehome Paddlers)
tirefreerivers.bravehost.com/index/canada/nb/saintjohn/numbers104-106.shtml
Aquatic Park Sailing Club - For the second year, the APSC joined in The Great Wilderness Cleanup to help clean up our ‘urban wilderness’, hosting their annual “Spring Leslie Spit Clean-up”. Located in Tommy Thompson Park, it is a large area of ‘urban wilderness’ which can be seen from Toronto’s downtown and this year coincided with the Bird Festival. Many members of the public pitched in by grabbing a couple of garbage bags and, according to Club Commodore, Mike Robbins, went “roaming the backwoods of the Spit along with our own members, and CLEANING THINGS UP!” As Mike says about an old Chinese proverb, “a space that is kept by many should be swept by many.” I agree.
Saskatoon Canoe Club - Bryan Sarauer of the Saskatoon Canoe Club organized a cleanup event to cover the South Saskatchewan River, but, unfortunately, the day of the cleanup was rained out and Bryan was the lone participant. Not to worry, however, Bryan showed his true dedication and love for the wilderness by going out on his own to clean up the riverbeds and sandbars in the area. He spent a couple of hours on a rainy day collecting 2 mid-sized bags of garbage. Kudos to you, Bryan!!
Team Solo - David Sullivan aka Preacher took a solo trip in APP from the Magnetewan access point and went to Little Trout Lake and back. He found “lots of small stuff”, along with a grill, a shoe (why is it always one?). Thanks, Preacher.
Pick-up Artists - Eleven members from the website forum of Algonquin Adventures took a weekend and cleaned up Craig Lake. All they could find was less than one bag of garbage. YAY!!!!!!!
Canuckcamper - Canuckcamper decided he wanted some time to himself, so he took off for the Massasaugua area. He collected all of 1/2 bag of garbage over 3 sites. He says he also found a bear along the way....
Dutchie - Dutchie did a route in APP the weekend before Mother’s Day and found just a couple of candy wrappers. Whoohoo!!!
USA
Unfortunately, due to work and family responsibilities, our USA leader, Greg ‘Bo’ Bowers, was unable to participate in this year’s cleanup event. No other groups from the USA volunteered, I’m sad to report. Let’s hope next year is better.
UK
MagiKelly (John Kelly) - John led the UK cleanup this year, and as last year, it was a great success. John’s own group went to Castle Semple Loch on Sunday, May 10th for their event. Many volunteered, including ‘The Ginger Paddlers’, Maz & Conner, Teuchter, Packman, Bluecanoe, Mick & sons, Driftwood, and MagiKelly himself. By the time they were done, they collected more than 5 garbage bags, along with “the usual bottles, cans, plastic bags, wrappers, fast food containers, paper, etc., wheel and tire, 2 traffic cones, beer crate, punch bag, trike, buckets, a piece of gas main, M&S camp chair, fishing lures/lines/hooks galore, 7 or 8 buoys and much more that had no place being where it was.” They also found a fishing scale, pliers, 2 rod bags, hand gel and “a large plastic sheet wrapped round a submerged log”. “Wow“, is all I can say about that.
Photos Courtesy of “MagiKelly” aka John Kelly
The Sea Cadets (Kazbunny) - Kazbunny led some Sea Cadets on a training expedition to the Chichester Canal, not only to teach them paddling skills, but also to teach them about keeping our environment clean. Thanks for that!! They came up with 4 garbage bags full of trash, finding mostly the usual things such as “plastic bottles, beer cans, plastic sheeting, crisp packets, fishing lines/hooks, dead fish (OK, maybe not so usual)...oh and we found a ball to play with too”. Their most favourite find was a nice bag of “doggy poo”. Lovely...
Photos Courtesy of “Kazbunny”
BRAZIL
I do know that our Brazil leader, Tony Osse, had great plans for a cleanup event the first weekend of May, but I have not yet heard from him. I have repeatedly attempted to contact him, but to no avail. I believe he told me that he would be out of the country during June, so my hope is that I will hear from him in the near future and will then be able to report on his successes. Most of all, I hope Tony and his family are all OK and doing fine during their time away.
FINLAND
The Finnish Open Canoe Association (Jaakko P. Makikyla, President) - Welcome to our new chapter in The Great Wilderness Cleanup!! The Finnish Open Canoe Association organized their first annual cleanup this spring, and what a wonderful job they did!! Several groups did “TrashPaddlings” in many areas of Finland; the northernmost was in the city of Oulu, which is 65 degrees north on the map. Overall, they took out over 20 large garbage bags of trash, a bicycle, some wheels & tires, traffic signs, some unused fishing traps, and the usual plastic bottles, etc. An unusual find was a ‘message in a bottle’, written by two 14-year old girls who wanted to know some answers about life. (Last year “Molly & the Mermaids” also found a ‘message in a bottle’.)
Photos Courtesy of Photo Finnish Open Canoe Association
Personal Comments
Each year I do this with Kevin Callan, I am still speechless after I finally put all these results and photos together at the end. I admit sometimes it’s difficult to keep going with this effort because it takes up a lot of time, but when I look at what I just wrote down up there, it makes the whole thing totally worthwhile. It just amazes me what we can all accomplish by getting together towards a common goal.
To this day, I still don’t understand why people dump their garbage anywhere and everywhere they feel like dumping it. It baffles me. It’s just so simple to take back out what you took in. I mean, they made the effort to get it all there so why not do the same to take it out? What’s the excuse? There is none.
Although participation was down a bit this year, the countless volunteers who gave up their personal time and put in the effort to get out there during a rainy and buggy weekend to help clean up our wilderness just makes me so very proud. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of it. Give yourselves all a big pat on the back because you deserve it!
Many thanks to all of this year’s sponsors, including Canada Post, Nova Craft, The Boston Mills Press (Wilderness Pleasures by Kevin Callan), Explore Magazine, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Eureka!, M&M Meat Shops, OutdoorAdventureCanada.com, Touchwood Editions (A Fork in the Trail by Laurie March), WildernessCooking.com, Scouts Leader Gerry Neilands (hiking/portage signs), The Wolf Den Bunkhouse and last but certainly not least, Algonquin Outfitters. Your support is priceless. I hope I didn’t miss any, please let me know if I did.
Also my thanks to the many website forums that have let me post pages and pages about this cleanup. It is with your help that this cause has become a global one.
Special thanks go to my partner, Kevin Callan, who has been behind me 100% since day one. Couldn’t do this without you, Kevin.
Most of all, dear volunteers, I thank YOU for supporting me in this cause and for giving up your personal time to do a good deed. I just hope you have fun while you’re out there.
Congratulations to everyone!! Together we ARE making a real difference.
Stay tuned folks because we’ll be announcing winners soon!!
