BSC Active in New River Clean Up Project,
September 23

( Bluefield)—This region’s portion of the oldest river in North Carolina will get a makeover, courtesy of an effort coordinated by a Bluefield State College faculty member and a team of more than 200 volunteers that includes several BSC student organizations.

Dr. Michael Smith, Associate Dean/School of Arts & Sciences at BSC, chairs a New River Watershed Roundtable (NRWR) committee focused upon cleaning up the New River. “We invite everyone to take part in this one-day initiative, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on September 23 at Foster Falls, near the Shot Tower and I-77,” he said. “ Foster Falls (just 40 minutes from Bluefield) is the New River State Park’s headquarters. More than one million people visit the park each year, and the greatest number come through Foster Falls. That’s why it’s the point at which we’re beginning our effort.”

Participants should bring river shoes and they can provide their own bikes and canoes. The Virginia Park Service will furnish shuttle service and trash pick up. Refreshments will be served following the 3:30 p.m. conclusion of the clean up effort.

“The New River is such a beautiful river and it’s enjoyed by many, many people,” Smith continued. “Every organization and individual involved in this clean up will be doing something very positive and meaningful in an ecologically important community service project.” The New River has been littered with all types of debris and trash, including tires, bottles, cans, and refrigerators, in recent years, according to Smith.

“We welcome all volunteers,” he added. “Some may have an affinity for the New River. It certainly provides a wonderful place to canoe, paddle, fish, camp, bike, and hike. Other volunteers might have a strong interest in ecology, and we hope to involve groups that see this effort as a very worthwhile service project.

The NRWR clean up initiative on September 23 is part of the “Adopt-A-Stream” program, and is taking place at the same time as the “Clean Sweep North Carolina” effort that has already enhanced the new River from Boone, NC to the North Carolina/Virginia state line. “We hope to make this an annual activity,” Smith said. “There are also clean up efforts planned along the New River in the Blacksburg and Radford areas. Ultimately, this can grow into something that can restore the entire New River system.”

Interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to contact Dr. Smith (by e-mail at msmith@bluefieldstate.edu or by phone at 304-327-4026) for more information.

August 28, 2006