Help Friends of Accotink Creek with the International Coastal Cleanup
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Accotink Creek near Wakefield Park |
By Elizabeth Kirchner
Friends of Accotink Creek (FAC), a volunteer
waterway protection group, invites you to join 152
countries and millions of people around the world in the 2012 month-long International Coastal Cleanup.
Starting at Fullerton Bridge on Sept. 15, cleanup crews
will work their way upstream along Accotink Creek, stopping at 12 sites along
the way and reaching the bridge at Little River Turnpike by Oct. 13. Visit the FAC
website for information on the cleanup schedule.
will work their way upstream along Accotink Creek, stopping at 12 sites along
the way and reaching the bridge at Little River Turnpike by Oct. 13. Visit the FAC
website for information on the cleanup schedule.
FAC will supply bags, gloves, and advice to volunteers about
how to protect the waterway; you supply the energy, and Accotink Creek will
supply one of the finest wildlife corridors in Fairfax County as the backdrop
for a great outing.
how to protect the waterway; you supply the energy, and Accotink Creek will
supply one of the finest wildlife corridors in Fairfax County as the backdrop
for a great outing.
Trash from our hands travels down storm drains to creeks,
streams, and rivers, and ultimately, to the oceans. As a result, 60 percent to
80 percent of the litter on beaches comes from inland sources.
For the past six years, families, businesses, civic and
school groups, scout troops, and even couples on dates have spent autumn
weekends wandering the woods along Accotink, as they joined FAC’s efforts to
protect water quality—and keep trash out of the oceans. During a clean-up effort last spring, FAC volunteers netted
256 bags of trash, 15 tires, a stoplight, and a CO2 tank.
school groups, scout troops, and even couples on dates have spent autumn
weekends wandering the woods along Accotink, as they joined FAC’s efforts to
protect water quality—and keep trash out of the oceans. During a clean-up effort last spring, FAC volunteers netted
256 bags of trash, 15 tires, a stoplight, and a CO2 tank.
Throughout the year, FAC works to foster environmental
awareness and education, monitor stream health, enhance recreational use, reduce
storm runoff, restore habitats, preserve land, remove invasive species, plant
native trees, and enlist broad-based public and organization participation and
support.
awareness and education, monitor stream health, enhance recreational use, reduce
storm runoff, restore habitats, preserve land, remove invasive species, plant
native trees, and enlist broad-based public and organization participation and
support.