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BLM Arizona and Dolan Springs community join forces for a holiday desert cleanup

Nov 30, 2023

BLM Arizona cleaning up garbage — BLM Arizona gathering trash with Dolan Springs volunteers. (Photo credit: Carrie Wostal/BLM Arizona)

The Thanksgiving holiday season is a time to reflect on all we are thankful for, spend time with loved ones, and give back to the community. The Dolan Springs community and the Bureau of Land Management Colorado River District honored the tradition in conducting a major cleanup effort on November 16.

"It was exciting to see so many community members come out and care for something we all share: our state’s public lands,” Chris Bryan, Kingman Field Office assistant field manager, said. “Volunteers are an essential part of fulfilling the BLM's mission to manage and conserve public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations, and today's volunteer efforts were no exception.”

Local residents, representatives from the Cactus Cleaners desert cleanup volunteer group of Dolan Springs and Golden Valley, the Dolan Springs Trails Association, the Dolan Springs Community Council, and the 928 Desert Riders club (an off-road vehicle group) all joined forces with the Bureau of Land Management Colorado River District to remove over 6,600 pounds of waste from BLM-administered lands, in addition to 1,240 pounds of trash found adjacent to a Mohave County right-of-way.

Both public and private lands get hit frequently with an abundance of garbage. The immense amount of trash can be attributed to the area being in a rural community, miles from any landfill opportunity. The trash included construction materials, mattresses, tires, furniture, and numerous food containers.

“By raising awareness about this issue and continuing to work with our dedicated partners, we can keep public lands healthy and productive," Matt Driscoll, Kingman Field Office outdoor recreation planner, said.

Mohave County Environmental Rural Area Cleanup Enforcement also supported the effort through the Cerbat Sanitary Landfill, where they provided passes for the landfill so that all the waste could be dumped at no cost to the BLM and community.

“We value all volunteers who offer their time, skills, and service to help care for our public lands,” Kevin Gallaher, Kingman Field Office range technician, said. “Together, we were able to give back this holiday season.”

The BLM Colorado River District is incredibly thankful for Cactus Cleaners and for all the volunteers who continue to support our public lands.