Currents August 2019

Did you know that the Great Lakes are the biggest freshwater source in the world? Lake Erie is the most productive for fishing of all the Great Lakes. Your support helps make our streams clean, clear and healthy so they can support this complex ecosystem. By donating to PCS, you help us reach our goals of restoring rivers that lead to Lake Erie beaches that promote fishable and swimmable conditions for generations.

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August

Volunteers collecting fishing line and tackled along a streamDue to historically high water levels this summer, we have not been able to hold any Get the Lead Out (GLO) events yet. That is about to change! Lake water levels are slowly dropping and we are hoping to conduct our first GLO of the summer soon!  Please join us on Thursday, August 8th from 6-8pm; the location is still being evaluated and will be posted on social media as the date approaches.

Volunteers should wear old, closed-toe shoes and dress for the weather. You may get a little wet on this one.  All cleanup supplies will be provided by PCS.  We will go over safety information at our pre-determined location before beginning the cleanup.  If you or your group is interested in participating in this program, check out our website for information, updates, and liability forms. 

Volunteers paddling during the Otsego Island Cleanup in 2018Come join us to “Paddle with a Purpose”! PCS, together with Metroparks Toledo and Wood County Parks, will be conducting two canoe-based cleanups in August. All canoeing and cleanup materials will be provided.

Our first cleanup will be on Missionary Island. We will meet at Weirs Rapids on Saturday, August 10th. The cleanup will run from 8:30am-12:00pm, and volunteer spots are still available. Event sign up can be done by visiting the Wood County Parks registration site OR the Metroparks Toledo registration site. Please note, you will need to create a profile with either group (depending on who you choose to register with) prior to registration for these types of events. If it appears that the event is full on one of the registration sites, please check the other site for availability. 

Our second cleanup is on Otsego Island on Wednesday, August 13th, from 6:00-8:30pm. This event is currently full, but feel free to check the registration site periodically in case spots open back up.

Even if you are not able to attend either cleanup, you are probably aware of the problem of marine debris in our waterways.  Next time you go out on your kayak or canoe, please consider bringing a mesh bag with you so you can remove the marine debris you see on your paddle.  If we want to continue to enjoy recreating on our streams, rivers, and lake, it’s important that we do our part to preserve them!

Volunteers posing with trash collected at CYS 22The 23rd Annual Clean Your Streams Day is next month – Saturday, September 21st!  As in past years, there will be seven Kickoff Sites around the Toledo area, from which individual teams will disperse to pre-determined cleanup sites. Online registration will open later this month. We are still looking for site captains to help lead the individual teams. If you are considering signing up as a site captain and have questions, please do not hesitate to contact PCS via email or phone.

We are also looking for individuals, organizations, groups, and businesses interested in sponsoring this event. Depending on the level of giving, sponsorship will be recognized on Clean Your Streams Day t-shirts, event posters, PCS website, Appreciation Picnic signage, and verbally by our MC during the event.  This is a great way to show your commitment to healthy waterways and a healthy community!  If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact our office at (419) 874-0727 for more information. 

We are also in need of gift cards to stores, such as Kroger, Panera Bread, Walmart, Meijer, and Bigby Coffee to help supply breakfast for hundreds of volunteers.  If you are able to supply any of these items, please contact us so we can arrange pick up and thank you for your donation.

Please don’t forget about the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic after our streams are cleaned! Volunteers will be eligible for door prizes, a paid raffle, a free lunch, and a participation t-shirt.  We would love to showcase your support for clean waterways through donated items.  Specifically, we would appreciate ecologically-friendly items such as reusable water bottles, shopping bags, reusable lunch boxes, and more.  We are also looking for gift cards and certificates to local events, restaurants, stores, and activities.  Large items for the paid raffle (outdoor experiences, kayak, fishing gear, etc.) help us to fund our annual programs and keep doing more for our water resources.  Show your appreciation for our streams, rivers, and lake at the Appreciation Picnic through a monetary or gift donation. 

Look for Clean Your Streams 23 registration to be open to the public in a couple weeks.  We will be announcing it on our social media and website.  Like us on Facebook (Partners for Clean Streams and Maumee AOC), follow us on Twitter and Instagram (pcsmaumee and#cleanyourstreams419) for updates, pictures, and everything CYS!  Last year, we had the 2nd highest volunteer turnout in the program’s history and these volunteers removed the most trash ever; 35,000 pounds of debris from our local waterways!  With your help, we can tackle even more marine debris this year!

Volunteers working to collect litter along the Maumee RiverWe are excited the share that PCS and its partners and volunteers were spotlighted on NOAA’s Marine Debris Program website and newsletter. An article titled “Litter & Lakes: Tackling Marine Debris in the Great Lakes” was published in June, and details work being done by many partners around the Great Lakes to tackle the problem of trash in our waters. Additionally, PCS authored a blog article further describing the work we have completed with support from the Marine Debris Program.

We thank our many volunteers for all of their efforts at local cleanups, as well as our many regional partners. Without this team-approach, we could never achieve these great results and we are excited to continue working as a team with each of you!  Please take a moment to read these articles and be proud of the contribution you have made toward reducing unwanted and harmful debris in our waters.

Clean Swell phone app iconThere is new way to contribute to the understanding of marine debris (trash/litter) distribution by using your phone! The Ocean Conservancy has launched an app called Clean Swell which allows individuals to catalog trash encountered and cleaned up on a favorite beach or stretch of waterfront on their own. Clean Swell app users are able to record types and quantities of trash collected and instantly send the data to the Ocean Conservancy’s global ocean trash database.

The data collected through this app will go toward helping scientists and policy-makers better understand the problem posed by trash in our waterways. The app also allows users to track their cleanup history and share their progress/achievements on social media outlets. The next time you encounter and remove trash from our local waters, please consider using Clean Swell to document and share this valuable information!

Currents: August 2019


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Missionary Island Cleanup

Missionary Island Cleanup


Bob Neubert
President of the Board
Lucas Co. Engineers

Andrew Curran
Vice President
Assistant Scout Executive,
Boy Scouts of America

Joan King
Treasurer
First Solar

Kyle Spicer
Secretary
Private Citizen

Denise Fonner
Board Member
Private Citizen

Chris Smalley
Board Member
Park Services Supervisor
Metroparks of the Toledo Area

Bill Hoefflin
Board Member
Private Citizen

Bill Buri
Board Member
Pexco Packaging

 

Partners for Clean Streams Inc. is striving for abundant open space and a high quality natural environment; adequate floodwater storage capacities and flourishing wildlife; stakeholders who take local ownership in their resources; and rivers, streams and lakes that are clean, clear and safe