Annual spring clean up planned for Snake River Canyon's North Rim
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TWIN FALLS, ID – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District staff will join the Southern Idaho Off-Road Association, Magic Valley ATV Club and Jerome County on Saturday, May 20 to clean up the north rim of the Snake River Canyon.
Volunteers are welcome and encouraged to join the clean-up effort scheduled to begin around 8 a.m. and wrap up around 2 p.m. Participants should bring rakes and square point shovels to help with the cleanup. Trash bags will be supplied.
Volunteers should plan to meet just north of the Perrine Bridge and east of Highway 93.
Each spring for the past 18 years, these organizations and volunteers have gathered to pick up trash that collects year after year. According to Josh Martin of the Southern Idaho Off-Road Association, “This area is important to all of us who like to recreate out here. It’s also disappointing that others don’t value it the same way and create such an eyesore out of this special piece of land when they leave their trigger trash behind. Thankfully we have a great group of committed volunteers and sponsors.”
Coastline Equipment Rental donates the use of the heavy equipment to haul out the huge volumes of trash, and Southern Idaho Solid Waste donates the roll-off dumpsters to aid the clean up efforts.
Shoshone Outdoor Recreation Planner David Freiberg noted this clean-up effort as one that has changed the appearance of the North Rim. “As the North Rim area is so easily accessible to a wide variety of users from both Twin Falls and Jerome Counties, it used to be a sea of water heaters, tires, refrigerators, garbage sacks, construction waste, dead animals and mountains of trigger trash. Thousands of acres have been cleaned-up and have remained relatively clean,” said Freiberg.
Unfortunately, several areas within the Snake River Canyon Park continue to be littered with illegally dumped trash. These areas will be the focus of Saturday’s events, which will allow numerous volunteers the opportunity to take part in keeping their public lands clean, safe and beautiful. Volunteers for the cleanup should plan to dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes and bring gloves and sun block. The Southern Idaho Off-Road Association will provide pizza for lunch for the volunteers.
Additional sponsors for the clean-up event include Jim Bob’s Bakery, Treasure Valley Coffee, and Parks & Sons Inc.
For additional information, please contact Josh Martin of the Southern Idaho Off-Road Association at (208) 308-2078.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.