Volunteers clean up Brunswick Lake
Trees also planted as part of annual Earth Day celebration
Volunteers helped plant several new trees along the eastern shores of Brunswick Lake April 22. Photo by MELISSA MARTIN
BRUNSWICK — The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation joined forces with several members of the Brunswick community this past weekend to help celebrate Earth Day by giving the shores of Brunswick Lake its annual spring makeover.
Ed Kelly, Brunswick’s Stream Team coordinator, said that despite the colder-than-usual temperatures, several individuals participated in this year’s 90-minute event which involved planting trees and cleaning up litter from the lake and its nearby tributaries.
Participants of all ages were invited to take part in the volunteer effort as a part of Earth Day, which is celebrated worldwide on April 22. On that day and on the days leading up to and even afterward, events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, and is now celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.
As part of this year’s cleanup, Kelly said volunteers met at the Brunswick Lake memorial where they launched a leisurely walk around the lake. Volunteers split up into teams and while out walking, they scouted for any litter that may have been discarded, Kelly said.
The volunteers were asked to use grabbers to pick litter and debris out of the water as well as on the grounds around the lake. Volunteers were asked to keep tabs of the different types of debris that was picked up by logging it on a form provided by the city.
Kelly said the forms are currently being tabulated and the results will be released to the public once the data is tallied.
Among the volunteers who participated in the cleanup and tree planting, Kelly said, are City Manager Carl Deforest; Council members Patricia Hanek and Nick Hanek; and John Piepsny, the city’s director of parks and recreation.
“And as usual, the Girl Scouts came out in full strength to do the thing that they do, community service,” Kelly said.
Ed Kelly, Brunswick’s Stream Team coordinator, said that despite the colder-than-usual temperatures, several individuals participated in this year’s 90-minute event which involved planting trees and cleaning up litter from the lake and its nearby tributaries.
Participants of all ages were invited to take part in the volunteer effort as a part of Earth Day, which is celebrated worldwide on April 22. On that day and on the days leading up to and even afterward, events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, and is now celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.
As part of this year’s cleanup, Kelly said volunteers met at the Brunswick Lake memorial where they launched a leisurely walk around the lake. Volunteers split up into teams and while out walking, they scouted for any litter that may have been discarded, Kelly said.
The volunteers were asked to use grabbers to pick litter and debris out of the water as well as on the grounds around the lake. Volunteers were asked to keep tabs of the different types of debris that was picked up by logging it on a form provided by the city.
Kelly said the forms are currently being tabulated and the results will be released to the public once the data is tallied.
Among the volunteers who participated in the cleanup and tree planting, Kelly said, are City Manager Carl Deforest; Council members Patricia Hanek and Nick Hanek; and John Piepsny, the city’s director of parks and recreation.
“And as usual, the Girl Scouts came out in full strength to do the thing that they do, community service,” Kelly said.