This past spring, over 400 people removed 19 tons of garbage from local streams and roads in clean-up events in Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski Counties, the Town of Christiansburg and the City of Radford.
Additionally, volunteers filled 537 trash bags of garbage, and cleaned 41 miles of road in the region.
While the spring clean-up efforts certainly made substantial impacts to keeping waterways clean, it became apparent challenges remain. Flooding in the region has brought additional woody debris downstream on the New River, depositing encumbrances along the waterway.
In response, Pulaski County and the Friends of Claytor Lake removed 525 tons of woody debris over 10 days from Claytor Lake.
The City of Radford also responded to flooding along the City’s Riverway by removing debris and refuse over four days during this same period.
The success of these events comes in large part from active support from local governments across the region. Giles County Administrator, Chris McKlarney, said these clean-up efforts pay dividends in the development of local economies and in fostering local pride in children and adults. “Cleaning up our communities, and particularly the New River, is a cause that most everyone can get behind.” Bill Long, Montgomery County Assistant General Services Manager, also said Montgomery County’s Bloomin’ and Broomin’ event promotes community pride and goodwill. The event, now in its 35th year, provides “the opportunity for residents to come together and improve the community.”
This fall, the citizens of the New River Valley have another opportunity to come together for a regional clean-up event. The ReNew the New Regional River Clean-up event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 26.
Working off the success of last year’s award-winning ReNew the New Regional Clean-up event in Radford, this year will feature clean-up events in Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski Counties, and the City of Radford.
Each locality is holding separate clean-up events on the same day to improve the entire New River watershed and its tributaries.
For more information and to register for the event, please visit www.renewthenew.org.
— NRVRC
