Mississippi River Clean Up, Saturday, September 19

Everyone can help clean trash from the Mississippi River, Saturday September 19, 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. The cleanup starts at Latsch Island Beach.  Volunteers will go out in boats to remove eyesores and pollutants such as treated wood and discarded tires and metals from islands, shorelines and dikes.  A crew will also walk across the Wagon Bridge to remove litter from Aghaming Park and Preserve.

The Mississippi River Revival has been organizing an annual cleanup since 1980.  The Friends of the Refuge Headwaters will help this year. Please, attend and enjoy the free lunch, music and kid care. We will restore heavily-littered places such as the shorelines below the Fountain City dam and the dikes downriver from Winona to litter-free environments, swept only by wind, water and wildlife, not refuse.

Everyone usually shares a lot of laughs and community spirit, getting together to keep the Mississippi beautiful. Remember to wear gloves, old clothes and life jackets.  Extra life jackets will be provided.  Please, tell us if you know a particular place to clean.  If you want to help set up, come at nine.  Please, bring a boat if you can.  Educational materials about the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and MRR’s interpretive activities at Aghaming will be on hand for free (e.g., Passenger Pigeon Walk and Reconciliation Walk).

The Friends of the Refuge Headwaters is launching an initiative to remove monofilament fishing line from river habitats. The River Clean Up Organizers will provide a recycling container. 

Swamp Sunflowers (aka Sneezeweed) on Latsch Island