Arkansas Headwaters to celebrate Public Lands Day on May 21 by sponsoring river cleanup from Leadville to Cañon City

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) are hosting the 31st Annual Clean Up Green Up in conjunction with Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday, May 21.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 21, upwards of 200 volunteers will work along the banks of the Arkansas River, from Leadville to Cañon City and beyond, cleaning up trash and debris from the river corridor in preparation for a busy summer boating and angling season. The work coincides with the start of spring snowmelt and run-off.

Volunteers are invited to register online and check-in from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the AHRA Visitor Center, 307 W. Sackett Ave. in Salida, or at the Buena Vista Public Works shop, 755 Gregg Dr. in Buena Vista, to get supplies and a lunch voucher for the post-clean up volunteer picnic.

Volunteers can pre-select their desired clean-up location online, or they will be assigned a location in the Arkansas River drainage between Granite and Cañon City.

Bagged trash can be dropped off from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Vandaveer Ranch on the southeast edge of Salida or Buena Vista Public Works. Bagged trash can also be left behind the entrance signs at any AHRA-managed site. Trash dumpsters are provided by Waste Management. American Rivers is providing the trash bags for volunteers.

Volunteer picnics will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at both Vandaveer Ranch and Buena Vista Public Works. Prizes will be awarded for Largest Piece of Trash and other categories. The City of Salida is also holding the Annual Touch-A-Truck event at Vandaveer Ranch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Clean Up Green Up is in partnership with AHRA, GARNA, Bureau of Land Management, city of Salida, town of Buena Vista, Salida Parks Open Space & Trails (SPOT) and Trout Unlimited.

For more information, contact AHRA at 719-539-7289 or GARNA at 719-539-5106 or by email at landvolunteers@garna.org.



Jeff
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