One of the volunteer groups from the Tellico Lake cleanup held on Feb. 20 stand with a pile of trash they collected.
A collective 51 volunteers removed 15,355 lbs. of trash from four different rivers throughout the month of February in Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful’s first Cherokee National Forest River Cleanup Series presented by Volkswagen.
Volunteers removed enough trash in this cleanup series to be equal to a herd of 21 bull elk, weighing up to 730 lbs. each and is the largest animal that can be spotted in the Cherokee National Forest.
For perspective, the total weight of litter removed is equivalent to 21 bull elk, which can reach up to 730 lbs. and is the largest animal that can be spotted within the Cherokee National Forest. So, it could be said that the volunteers in this cleanup series removed enough trash from the rivers to be comparable to the weight of a herd of elk!
The cleanup series was largely made possible by funding received through the Volkswagen Community Grant Program by Volkswagen of America, Inc., administered by The Conservation Fund.
“Everyone involved can button this project up knowing that we literally made tons of a difference for the Cherokee National Forest, the Tennessee River watershed, and the communities that they impact,” said Kathleen Gibi, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) Executive Director. “From the diverse, stunning beauty we witnessed at each lake, to the passionate effort of our volunteers who removed an impressive amount of litter, to the incredible support from our sponsors and local partners, this series has been an unforgettable, positive experience.”
KTNRB hosted river cleanups at four sites throughout the month of February, collaborating with local Keep America Beautiful affiliates and local governments:
CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST RIVER CLEANUP SERIES RESULTS
Feb. 6 Watauga Lake of the Watauga River Elizabethton, TN 3,202 lbs.
Feb. 13 South Holston Lake of the Holston River Abingdon, VA 5,294 lbs.
Feb. 20 Tellico Lake of the Tellico River Vonore, TN 4,852 lbs.
Feb. 27 Parksville Lake of the Ocoee River Benton, TN 2,007 lbs.
15,355 lbs.
The 51 volunteers had other harrowing statistics from their efforts, including a total of 318 bags of trash, 148 tires, 1,433 lbs. of Styrofoam, 215 lbs. of random plastic, and 303 lbs. of scrap metal.
Volunteers at the cleanup held on South Holston Lake on Feb. 13 removed 114 tires (most were set up years ago as fish attractors) and 37 bags of trash, among other things.
The grant also allowed KTNRB to purchase equipment to support the use of their 5,000-pound, 25-foot work boat as well as an AmeriCorps position through a local East Tennessee chapter, CAC AmeriCorps.
Volunteers with a trash pile collected at a cleanup held on Watauga Lake on Feb. 6.
“This grant will continue to give back well past this river cleanup series now that our organization’s empowered with support equipment so that we can easily host a cleanup and with additional staffing,” said Gibi. “We are so grateful to Volkswagen of America, Inc. and to The Conservation Fund for helping to make all of this possible.”
Gibi said the organization was just hoping to meet the record it had set in 2019 with over 48,000 lbs. of trash removed. By the time 2020 came to a close, the organization had worked with over 300 volunteers who removed more than 61,000 lbs. of litter from the Tennessee River and its tributaries.
“It’s a real testimony to the difference private investments from companies like Volkswagen can make for our community,” said Gibi. “This year, we’ve got our sights set on a goal to remove 100,000 lbs. of trash from our waterways, and we’re already approaching 30,000 lbs. for the year after this series.”
Gibi said that the litter collected in 2020 was a 22% increase from their previous 2019 record that they set the year they first put their work boat in the water. Since the organization formed in 2016, KTNRB has rallied 1,750 volunteers to remove approximately 198,000 lbs. of trash.
“It’s amazing to see what over 15,000 pound of trash looks like, but it’s even more fantastic to see the riverbanks clean and litter free,” said Katie Allen, Director of The Conservation Fund's Conservation Leadership Network. “The efforts of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful and all of its volunteers during the cleanup series have been outstanding, and they will benefit wildlife, water quality, and recreational experiences well into the future.”
Staff from Volkswagen, Inc. volunteered at the Parksville Lake Cleanup held on Feb. 27.
Other supporting sponsors of the cleanup series included the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Keep America Beautiful, and Keep Tennessee Beautiful.
KTNRB plans to host the second Cherokee National Forest River Cleanup Series in 2022. They are also working on plans to reschedule a second cleanup on the Ocoee River that they had to cancel in February due to weather.
For more information about KTNRB’s schedule, please visit www.KeepTNRiverBeautiful.org/upcomingcleanups.
A full boat after the cleanup at Watauga Lake on Feb. 6.