BMECC clean-up at PA 183

[emerald]

Tomorrow BMECC members will gather at PA 183 to clean their 2-mile adopt-a-highway section which straddles the Berks-Schuylkill County line. Since club activities with few exceptions are open to the public and advertised in The Reading Eagle, I thought I'd post it here.

Refer to BMECC's events schedule for more information. Call the activity leader if you have any questions.

Click on the link to learn more about PennDOT's adopt-a-highway program, the largest of it's kind.

[shelterbuilder]

I'll put my two cent's worth in, too. Even though I can't participate this time because of all of the PT that I need after my surgery, this is a great activity, and the people aren't so bad, either! BMECC adopted this 2-mile stretch of highway over 10 years ago - one mile on either side of where the AT crosses Pa. Rt. 183. It's a rural area and there seems to be a lot of trash that "magically flies out of car windows" and collects along the roadway. BMECC has always viewed this clean-up activity as a logical extension of its trail maintaining activities, since it is so close to the AT. And even if you can't stay all morning, even an hour's worth of help would be greatly appreciated, and you could meet some nice folks from the club.

[emerald]

When following links from PennDOT's site, I discovered a link to DCNR's Forest Lands Beautification Program. I believe I've read about efforts in my own county which may have been funded through this program although I hadn't known about the program's history or it's finer points.

To learn more, click on http://www.cleanpaforests.org.

[emerald]

Short notice is better than no notice or after-the-fact notice which as everyone knows is really no notice at all. The time to meet is 12:34.

[ki0eh]

Your efforts are well appreciated!

I've found it difficult for trail volunteers to "get into" trash cleanup, beyond maybe stuffing an extra pocket. Once up north we took half a day out of a KTA Trail Crew to clean up a closed canopy gravel roadwalk section - with 3 km between houses it had attracted quite a lot of rubbish during the years. We filled 2 30 cy dumpsters and 80-some tires to boot, using rigging equipment to pull out old freezers and the like. (I heard from no less an authority than Lester Kenway that those are good practice! ) Although that area has remained clear for several years since, and we happened to receive a sizable donation from a neighboring landowner in addition to all hauling and disposal costs covered by DEP grants and a donation from the local waste authority, I was let know in no uncertain terms not to schedule trail volunteers to do that again.

[emerald]

Unfortunately, I missed this installment. My earlier post was an attempt to encourage someone new to participate.

The bigger stuff was cleaned up years ago. It's an easy walk picking up mostly beverage containers along the shoulders.

I participate in part because working the segment along Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation brings back memories and it's a way of returning to them what was given to me. You may not have heard it's now a recognized tree farm unless you read the recent Reading Eagle article.

Once there, my proximity serves as an excuse to visit family who live nearby too.

[emerald]

Meet at PGC's parking lot August 1 at 13:23 to help do your part to keep the A.T. free of unsightly litter. More information at www.bmecc.org. Refer to events.