National Committee for the New River (NCNR) Advocacy Coordinator Courtney Wait and NCNR Intern Jasmene Braden gathered with four members and two future members of the Stone Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited fishing group for an Aug. 8 cleanup project on the New River. Bob Pearson, Jeff Payne, Keith Cockerham, Scott Frye, and his two sons Ethan and Seth, came ready with positive attitudes to clean up the New River.

Starting at the Hwy. 421 Bridge Access in Boone, the group of eight traveled a little over a quarter of a mile of the New River, collecting trash and other interesting objects that cluttered the river along the way. Although the distance covered was short, the amount of trash collected was anything but small. Items pulled from the river included the typical, such as soda cans and plastic bags, to the unusual: a shopping cart, tricycle, refrigerator lining, raft, a number of tires, and even a go-cart.

Wait had been anxious to clean this section of the River after surveying it earlier this summer. "The approximate quarter mile section that was cleaned up [Aug. 8] by the Wilkesboro Trout Unlimited Chapter was one of the shortest and dirtiest sections of river I have ever seen. Usually recyclables and fast-food trash are the most prominent form of pollution along our NC portion of the New, but in this brief segment we came across a number of large and interesting pieces of trash." Wait believes the explanation for much of the trash found in this particular section is that it was washed down off the land, into the tributaries, and then into the river.

Although the cleanup was a definite success, there are still many sections of the New that need to be tended to as well. Luckily, there are many chances to get involved in cleaning up the New River. The next event will be Saturday, Sept. 12 when NCNR will be hosting its annual New River Cleanup. If you are interested in participating in the event or simply would like more information, contact Courtney Wait at courtney@ncnr.org or 982-6267.

NCNR is a non-profit organization working in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The mission is to protect and enhance the natural and cultural resources of the New River and its watershed. The organization has protected more than 5,500 acres of land important to the New River's scenic and natural values and has restored over 69 miles of river and stream bank.