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HomeEventsShiawassee River Cleanup

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Shiawassee River Cleanup

When:
Sunday, August 6, 2017, 9:00 AM
Where:
Byron MI
Additional Info:
Event Contact(s):
Norm R Fred
231-392-2023 (p)
Category:
Clean-up
Registration is required
Payment In Full In Advance Only
Cancellation Policy:
If you have to cancel for any reason, please notify the trip host ASAP. Phone numbers are in the member directory on the TAPC website.
No Fee
No Fee
No Fee
No Fee

Keepers of the Shiawassee River, Michigan

River Cleanup - Byron to Walnut Hills
Sun 9 AM · Byron Launch next to the school ball fields across the street from Sesquicentennial Park
Keepers of the Shiawassee River, Michigan

This project is 199 miles from Traverse City but one that some of you might enjoy.

I can't make it since it is on a Sunday.

Checkout the Keeper's Facebook page to see what they do.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/111552015554058/

Norm Fred

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Letter from the leaders of this event:

Headwaters Trails is having a river cleanup on August 6, 2017.  We are meeting at the launch in Byron next to the school ball fields across from Sesquicentennial Park, starting at 9 am, and go to the Walnut Hills Campground. We need people to pickup trash and people with chainsaws as well as people to help anchor the logs cut. No experience is needed, you just need to be willing to get wet and help out.  The ball field is on the South side of Maple, west of the river and Saginaw Street in Byron Michigan.  We typically don't get in the river till 9:30 due to the need to spot cars first.

You might want to direct people to our website, www.headwaterstrailsinc.org, then to the "Best Practices" tab, to learn how we do our cleanups.  We have been working with the MDNR's Patrick Ertel and Joe Leonardi on the way to clear a river that is environmentally friendly.  I usually post our cleanups there, on the Headwaters Trails Inc. Facebook page and on the Keepers of the Shiawassee Facebook page.

My wife and I paddle the Boardman and it does not have anywhere near the level of trees in it that the Shiawassee has, but we do appreciate the work that has been done along the river.  The problem here has largely been due to the emerald ash borer, which has killed the dominant tree along the banks in this area.  Add to that, two tornadoes that have taken many  trees and knocked them down.  There are still nice stands of trees along the Shiawassee, but also a lot in the river.  We cut only a wide enough path to allow boats through, in most cases, then take what we have cut and anchored the big tree trunks to the banks and use other trees that are down in the river to hold the logs and brush that we cut, in place to provide fish habitat.  With years of practice, we have started to get more efficient at taking out large trees that block the river.

The Shiawassee does not flow at anywhere near the rate of the Boardman nor is it as cold as the Boardman.  We expect that the water level will be down quite a bit for this cleanup so many trees that you could pass over in the spring now represent blockages.  It is always better to have a canoe or rowboat for cleanups because you can haul a lot of tools and trash, but a kayak will do.  I use an outboard motor or trolling motor on my rowboat for river cleanups, with kayak paddles to provide maneuverability and power in shallow water.  I am bringing a rowboat, motor, two chainsaws, plastic wedges, cables and straps with ring nails plus a cooler full of drinks to share.  We will have pizza at the end on picnic tables at Walnut Hills Park.

I have been told that there is one large diameter tree in the river that is blocking it, along with a lot of smaller logs that you need to lift your boat over.  This cleanup will probably go till around 4:00.

Please have anyone who is planning on coming, let me know.  It helps me plan the event.  I can be reached on Sunday on my cell phone, starting around 8:30.  Otherwise, I don't carry it with me.  I use it strictly as a car phone.  248-634-3513.  Have people call that number if they are lost or need other assistance.  Generally, reaching me at home or work is the most reliable way of communicating with me.

Most of the river cleanups are organized by Headwaters Trails.  Members of the Keepers of the Shiawassee will join us on cleanups, but they are more a paddling recreation group that sponsors paddling events throughout the summer.  The Friends of the Shiawassee doesn't get involved this far up the river.  They work more in the Owosso area and primarily pickup trash in their cleanups.  The City of Linden and the City of Fenton each have one cleanup each year.  We have members that join in on those cleanups.

Although we welcome any help you can give us, we are generally stretched pretty thin on our river cleanups.  This will be our seventh this year, all on the Shiawassee.  In the past, we have helped out on the Huron and Flint rivers, but the Shiawassee keeps us pretty busy, so we haven't helped them this year.  Those times are usually when they have a big blockage that they cannot handle.  We will get a call for help and respond to that.
 
-- Chuck Julian Secretary Headwaters Trails Inc. 248-335-8785 work 248-634-3513 home
 248-866-3069(M)

chuck.julian@gcs3d.com