In late September Eastern Sierra Land Trust partnered with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to clean up areas on the Owens River as a part of the state wide Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s Great Sierra River Cleanup. This year, nearly 2,000 volunteers across the state cleaned up about 36,000 lbs. of trash and recycling from rivers throughout the Sierra Nevada.

The group of amazing ESLT volunteers that turned out for the cleanup.

During the local cleanup, ESLT volunteers picked up trash from three sites along the Owens River south of East Line St. Overall, the group collected 220 lbs of trash and recycling, including 57 plastic bags, 129 bottles and cans, 35 items of clothing, 249 food wrappers, 14 pieces of fishing line, and 593 cigarettes! The amount of trash that was cleaned up from these areas on the Owens River highlights the importance of packing out trash when recreating outside. Everyone, residents and visitors alike, benefit from having local recreation areas that are safe, beautiful, and trash free! Refreshments for the volunteers were provided by McDonald’s of Bishop and Erick Schat’s Bakkery.

 

Hillary, the ESLT AmeriCorps member, picks up trash by the Owens.