Duck Junkies MI Pro Staff / FINZ-N-FEATHERS Guides @ Grand River Clean-Up
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Unbelievable!!! We had no idea just how much people take advantage and abuse our vital waterways. When we signed up for this clean-up I assumed there would be some litter along the shoreline of the Grand River, but we were disgusted and heartbroken at the level of dumping that has been going on along the Grand River. While looking at these pictures you can clearly see that this level of garbage did not float into the bayous and estuaries of the Grand River on its own. This was without a doubt drove in and dumped off by someone with a direct disregard of the ecological impact of this waste.
Inside this bayou we love to hunt there were Blue Wing Teal, Mallards, Wood Ducks, and Geese looking for and sitting on nest full of eggs. In one location we hauled out 2 tires, 2 plastic bags full of glass, plastic bottles, medical waste, and 1 trash bag of Styrofoam. All this trash was within a 50 yard area, while surrounding a nested Canadian goose sitting on 5 eggs. These Waterfowl nest in the same location year after year. Then the young ducks & geese return the next year to build their nest to raise their young. Year after year this cycle repeats it’s self. Yet our wildlife is forced to live, nest, and raise their young amongst our trash.
Its sad to think that we the human race choose to pollute and destroy our wetlands, bayous, estuaries, and waterways because we are too lazy or ignorant to the impact this has on our ecosystem. Please help us restore and revitalize our wild area’s by getting involved with organizations such as Duck Junkies, Michigan Duck Hunters Association, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Grand Haven & Grand Rapids Jaycees or local Jaycees in your area. You don’t have to be a hunter, fishermen or woman, outdoors person to get involved. The only things you will need is the desire to change, the desire to preserve and protect the wildlife and natural area’s we all love to get lost in once in a while. This cannot be done by one person, but together we can make a huge difference. Let’s give back and take back this beautiful and majestic state we Michiganders call home.
FOX 17 News Clip: http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox17-grand-river-greenup-volunteers-clean-trash-dumped-on-banks-in-ottawa-county-20110423,0,2051961.story
TRIBUNE: http://video.grandhaventribune.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=5786920&at1=News&h1=Volunteers participate in Grand River GreenUp&flvUri=&partnerclipid=