Saturday, April 15, 2023

Waterloo Region Nature Tackles the Cleanup of Laurentian Wetland

12 April, 2023

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Members: Heather Bagg, Terry Best, Lisa Den Besten, Fraser Gibson, Lorne Harding, Victoria Ho, Marion Kelterborn, Anne Morgan, Elaine Mowbray, Kruti Patel, Crystal Rose, Mary Ann Vanden Elzen, Oliver Watts, Para Watts, Judy Wyatt
Guests: Meredith Blunt, Matt Clark, Marilyn Henderson

     A while ago, in despair at the condition of Laurentian Wetland, I wrote about it here. Fraser Gibson contacted me following publication of that article, having visited the area himself, and we agreed that something needed to be done. So it was that we organized a cleanup under the auspices of the world's greatest nature club, Waterloo Region Nature.
     As I look at the list of people who came out to lend a hand, I take my hat off to the women of our club, who outnumbered the men three to one. Let me also acknowledge the non-members who came out to help. Meredith and Matt are local residents and Marilyn was visiting Marion Kelterborn, all the way from South Carolina.
     I have become so dependent on Miriam to act as photographer that I neglected to take my camera, so there is no customary group picture, nor any pictures from me of the event itself, or the large number of garbage bags set out for pick up by the city at the end of the morning. I am indebted to Marion for all the pictures here.
     It was a beautiful day for the event and everyone gathered in high spirits ready to tackle the mess.
     Matt and Meredith signed the appropriate insurance waivers as non-members.


     Marion had some supplies left over from a cleanup at Lakeside Park last year and she brought them with her. 
     Everyone got what they needed, black bags for "regular" trash, white for recyclable items, grabber tools at the ready.

Judy, Anne, Heather, Mary Ann


     Lisa, ever ebullient, was delighted to be involved.


     Marilyn looked like a warrior from a Star Wars movie, ready to fight for truth and justice!


     Crystal was determined, and ceaseless in her dedication to the task at hand.


     Judy was bringing full bags to place at the kerb, to get new bags and begin afresh.


     Fraser was the very soul of dedication and hard work - no surprise there.


     We started out being amazed at some of the stuff we found, but soon nothing surprised us any more. There is no limit, it seems, to the capacity of humans to dump their trash and degrade the environment.


     I was with Lorne when he pulled a complete vacuum cleaner from the water. I also know that there is a tyre and a shopping cart in the storm water management pond, but the water level was high and we were unable to see them. How we might be able to get them out is another matter entirely.
     Kruti, who lives in the neighbourhood worked tirelessly, and bemoaned the need to clean up after uncaring people.


     Victoria worked incessantly and efficiently.


     It was encouraging that several people passing by took the time to thank us for what we were doing. We will see what we can do next year to encourage more residents to become involved, perhaps thereby stimulating local pride. It would also be very helpful if a few committed volunteers went along from time to time and cleaned up some of the easily accessible trash, especially those items that are likely to be blown into the water.
     There appears to be a need for a couple of garbage cans nearby, and that might go some way in mitigating the sheer volume of trash that we found. We will contact the city and see whether that can be arranged.
     Most of all though, a new attitude is what is needed, and until people take more pride in their living space it is difficult to believe that a great deal will change. If we are unable to take care of our own backyard, it is hard to believe that we will ever come to grips with global pollution.
     In the meantime, heeding the adage "Act locally, think globally," we will continue to do our part.
     Thanks to all of my cherished friends who came out to do what is right. You are simply the best.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

70 comments:

  1. You all did a great job cleaning up the trash. This is very important David. We all have a responsibility to clean up nature.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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  2. from my Florida part of our globe, thanks to all of you who cleaned up our planet, its the only one we have for now... good job to all of you

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  3. I take my hat off to you and your group for a job well done, David. How sad it is that such efforts are necessary - the situation is just as bad on this side of the pond.

    Please be very careful about the deployment of trash cans. Here, they only work if emptied regularly, and resources for this aspect are low. The result is that the cans fill up and people express their disgust at this by petulantly casting their trash onto the ground round the cans. This situation becomes especially horrible with 'dog waste' bins. Most places are resorting to 'please take your garbage home with you' campaigns.

    Keep up the good work - - - Richard

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    1. I agree with you completely, Richard, about the trash cans. If they are not regularly emptied they become worse than not having one at all. If only we could get people to take their garbage home.....

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  4. Huge congrats to all the volunteers who were involved in such important environmental initiative!
    The waste which you and other volunteers collected, such as paper, plastic and metal scrap, can be recycled. That's great! The main problem is when irresponsible people throw hazardous waste in the forest, like asbestos or toxic paints than can damage the soil and the underground layer of water.

    Have a nice weekend!

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  5. How nice that you have removed so much rubbish from nature.
    It's the same here, they just throw it away.
    Good job you're doing David.
    Greetings Tinie

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  6. C'est une belle initiative! Je me ramasse tout le temps des déchets en faisant seulement le trajet de quelques mètres entre ma maison et les poubelles de ma commune!
    Bon weekend

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  7. Great job to your group who picked up trash. We have local people who volunteer here every year to clean up the beautiful areas. It's sad that there are so many people who just don't care and leave their trash all over the place.

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    1. I think we will have to make this an annual event, Bill.

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  8. I also thank you all for the work you did!!

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  9. I don't understand the mentality of anyone trashing our beautiful planet but unfortunately it appears to be a worldwide phenonomen. There are so many resources available to all of us where things can be taken and disposed of safely or recycled.

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    1. Just yesterday, I was appalled at our local supermarket. There was a sale on water in plastic bottles and people were leaving with whole cartloads full. You know where many of those bottles will wind up, don't you?

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  10. HUGE thanks to you all. How I wish that your endeavours were not necessary. Sadly they are - worldwide. Hiss and spit.

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  11. That's the only way to solve the problem - get out there and clear it up. I don't think those who cause the problem will ever change, no matter how much we moan.

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  12. You have a fantastic group and I'm really impressed at the participation of your nature-loving community. Impressed, but not surprised. You really made a difference and I love that!

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  13. Kudos to all the women and the men who showed up for this cleanup event. Nice to see people really caring for the environment. Have a great weekend.

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  14. What a great effort and a rewarding one too. It's a shame people are so careless and senseless. I know everyone appreciates your work. I know I do! Thanks to everyone in this group!

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  15. Maybe some signs at the entrances of along the way would remind people to take care of the precious lands they go there to enjoy. Good for you for organizing this outing and I bet you slept well that night ... not only because you were tired, but because you felt some satisfaction of a job well done. Like you I am forever picking up trash or putting grocery baskets in the racks where they belong. People are just lazy and indifferent ... is it that we didn't raise our children right? I have to wonder what has happened to the commitment of the up and coming populations to the things that have always mattered to our generation. So Good On You, David, once again you save the day.

    Andrea @ From the Sol
    Oh, and Miriam did a fine job of taking pictures :)

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  16. A committed group. Thank you all for participating in such a wonderful act of public service!

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  17. ...spring is cleanup time!

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  18. What a wonderful project for this group to undertake and a perfect example of thinking globally and acting locally. If we all make the effort to "act locally" we can make a huge difference to the planet and our impact will be global.

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  19. I bet that feels good to have the wetlands cleaned up, and so good of you and everyone who helped.

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  20. A superb effort by yourself and the team.

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  21. Great that you have removed so much waste from nature.
    People just throw everything behind their ass, I'm very annoyed by that.
    I wish you a nice Sunday.
    Greetings Irma

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  22. You all did a great job here. It's sad that so many people deliberately try to destroy nature with their selfish behaviour. Our next litter clear up day is in September, same story here and everywhere I expect! Hugs, Valerie xxxx

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  23. Todos colaboran en una buena tarea y lo hacen con la sonrisa en los labios.

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  24. Great project! As we drive around this spring, we see the same here. Well done!

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  25. A suitable activity. It would have been correct for those who walked there to be more careful with the waste they produced.

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  26. Excellent job!!! Kudos to you for the article that started this project. Something similar happens in Hawaii, too. Volunteers team up to clean the beaches and highway medians. Important work.

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  27. It's sad to see how all over the world, there are so negligent people leaving trash all over the place.
    Excellent cleaning job. Many congratulations to you and all the volunteers for this extraordinary initiative.

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  28. Muy bien por todos. Por aquĂ­ tambiĂ©n se hace y yo recojo toda la que encuentro en mis paseos y la llevo para casa, a veces da tristeza de ver como estĂ¡ todo. Besos querido amigo.

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  29. Well done! There are many people needing attitude adjustments. I've not much hope for them. I mostly fished beer cans out of our ditches this weekend.

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  30. Very nice!!...we all have to do our part!.......Abrazotes, Marcela

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    1. It would be great if "doing our part" meant not throwing out the trash in the first place.

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  31. Great job David and this is also a problem all over the planet as you know. Here we have also people who clean the streets, parks, woodlands and waters from carbidge that is just trown away by people that are not bothered about the consequences to nature and its habitants. So my compliments to all those vollenteers.
    Warm regards,
    Roos

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  32. Great work done by all!!!
    Thanks for sharing this blog with us at IRBB!

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  33. Well done to all the volunteers.
    We too have groups locally who volunteer their time to do their bit for the local environment.

    I like the words "Act locally, think globally,"

    All the best Jan

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    1. Too bad that we have to clean up after others though.

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  34. That outing was very good, collaborating with the collection of waste to help the proper functioning of the wetlands. Here I have collected myself alone and also in two group outings although it is not very easy to organize that. Greetings

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  35. What a great group and such a worthy contribution..It's a shame that it's necessary...Thankyou

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  36. I haven't done an organized cleanup for awhile. It's time. Looks like you not only did a worthwhile job but had some fun too. Happy new week David. hugs-Erika

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  38. hello David
    a sad topic, with you as well as with us here. This action is a role model for others. When I'm out and about at the weekend, I always have a bag with me.. almost always full... what's going on in these people's brains at this moment..? My explanation for this... the brain is missing...
    Greetings Frank

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  39. Your team are commended for their good and dedicated work.

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  40. I must say, the effort you all put in to clean up the trash is commendable.

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  41. What you all good fellows, David. Your friends worked very actively and purposefully, excellent work for the benefit of nature. Previously, in our city every spring "saturdyks" were held, that is, the work of cleaning the parks from garbage on Saturday. Over time, this tradition disappeared.

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  42. This was absolutely wonderful to read David. I was walking along the Oromocto Wetlands on Saturday (near Fredericton) and was saddened to see the trash. I picked up what I could, but they don't even provide garbage bins along the trail.

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    1. If only we could get people to stop dumping the trash in the first place.

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  43. Thank you for being part of this solution and for sharing your positivity with us all! I am sincerely wishing you a good week full of Aloha

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  44. We have similar activities in my area and they are so important. Nice to see your group taking charge of nature!

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  45. Querido David muchas gracias a todos y todas por ese trabajo maravilloso por la naturaleza, tristemente esto es algo habitual en todo el mundo, recogemos y recogemos y no hay manera, no entiendo que si vas cargado con una botella llena y no te pesa, porque cuando esta vacĂ­a la tiran en cualquier lugar, esto es algo que me deprime. Un enorme abrazo para todos/as.

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  46. I am sure it was a very rewarding day, well done to all of you. That is one thing that distresses me about South Africa, everything gets dropped, and the fields are invariably full of plastic bags blowing around. I am though delighted to say we see very little rubbish in our area of France. Bisous Diane

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    1. Why do humans have so little respect? It is very distressing - and apparently universal.

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  47. Estos temas son incomprensibles e inauditos, por mucho que uno quiera es imposible comprender ciertas actitudes de la gente, pero dices bien querido amigo: «si no somos capaces de tener limpio nuestro patio» ¿cĂ³mo vamos a mantener un entorno privilegiado para la comunidad que lo habita y lo disfruta? Hace falta mucha concienciaciĂ³n y se debe de empezar por los colegios y por los niños si queremos que en un futuro cosas asĂ­ no sucedan.
    Una gran labor que alabo y aplaudo querido amigo, ¡ojalĂ¡! El prĂ³ximo año sean muchas mĂ¡s personas las implicadas en esa labor o menos si hubiese decaĂ­do la suciedad, aunque no creo en brujas.
    Un gran abrazo querido amigo y profesor, por un mundo mĂ¡s humano y un entorno mĂ¡s limpio.

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  48. WidzÄ™, ze problem Å›mieci istnieje na caÅ‚ym Å›wiecie. Mam w bagażniku worki i rÄ™kawiczki, w razie napotkania takich niespodzianek. Zastanawiam siÄ™, kto to wyrzuca i jakie trzeba mieć spustoszenie w gÅ‚owie, żeby to robić! PozdrĂ³w ode mnie LisÄ™, ma piÄ™kny T-shirt :-)

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  49. That was a day's work well done. I was reading the other day that our beautiful local river is full of car wrecks, and a dive team is trying to remove them. Without people like you and them, our world would be a much less prettier place.

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  50. Me parece una gran labor vuestro trabajo voluntario para limpiar la naturaleza, una iniciativa preciosa que deberĂ­a extenderse o mejor aĂºn si la gente tuviera conciencia de no dejar basura en los espacios naturales no serĂ­a necesario todo ese trabajo.
    Muchos besos.

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  51. Hi David - it's such a pity that people are so irresponsible - I feel at times we live in a 3rd world country here in Eastbourne. The summer is the worst with the visitors - just leaving 'stuff' they don't want lying around. Why can't they take it with them ... I do wonder - but will stop there. I wonder if the kids who take an interest at school carry on into adulthood - or adopt the habits of the grown-ups as they age. The council is pretty good in summer - and does after big gatherings go out late at night and early in the morning to clear up. I hope next year your gatherings will have a few more volunteers - you've set the example ... cheers Hilary

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  52. Hats off to you and your clean-up crew for taking care of the park and being a good example to others! We have a horrible litter problem in South Carolina and certain counties (like ours) have no budget at all for cleaning it up. Completely up to volunteers if they are to be had, and it’s a never ending job. Reappears on the roadsides as fast as it is hauled away. We have adopted a couple roads ourselves and keep them clean.
    I have been away for a while, but I think I have caught up on all your posts, including your fabulous photos from Cuba. Hope you are enjoying some spring birds and weather now. We had our very first Painted Bunting at our feeders last evening and I’m still walking in air!

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  53. Hooray!
    I take my hat off to allthe clreaners!! Grand initiative!
    Cheers Maria

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  54. Bravo Ă  tous.
    Il est encore lamentable que de nos jours des gens salissent la nature.
    David le photographe a la tĂªte ailleurs đŸ˜‰đŸ˜‰đŸ˜‰

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  55. Even though I don't live nearby, a heartfelt thank you to your crew for cleaning up a small piece of this world we all share. My husband and a couple of our neighbors walk up and down the beach several times a day picking up garbage. It's shocking how much they find. You are so right - a new attitude is sorely needed.

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