Volunteers Needed for Namekagon River Cleanup

Howell Landing, Namekagon River (NPS photo)

Celebrate National Park Week by helping the National Park Service and Namekagon River Partnership clean up the Namekagon River on Saturday, April 27.

This will be the second annual cleanup and will again focus on four sections of the Namekagon:

• Hayward Landing to Stinnett Landing
• Stinnett Landing to North Springbrook Landing
• North Springbrook Landing to Earl Landing
• Earl Landing to Trego Landing

Volunteers will split into teams to travel each river section in canoes or drift boats, collecting trash along the way. For those who do not want to be on the water, there are opportunities to help with event logistics, like driving volunteers to and from the work sites (i.e., put-in and take-out points).

Because there are a limited number of canoes and lifejackets available, volunteers are asked to pre-register. To volunteer, call the Hayward Fly Fishing Company at (715) 634-8149 or the Namekagon River Visitor Center at (715) 635-8346.

Plan to meet at Hayward Landing (Highway 27 near the DNR Ranger Station) at 8:00 a.m. on April 27. Volunteers should bring water, lunch, weather-appropriate clothing, and sunscreen.

2012 Namekagon River clean-up (Photo courtesy Namekagon River Partnership)

The Namekagon is part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a national park and one of America’s first wild and scenic rivers. National Park Week is April 20-28, 2013.

The Namekagon River Partnership is a citizen-volunteer organization working to celebrate and conserve the Namekagon River.

This is the second year of the event. For last year’s clean-up, 33 volunteers helped clean 30 miles of river, hauling away two pick-up trucks full of litter, with the group writing, “While it was a bit disappointing to see the amount of litter that we picked up from the river and shoreline, it was very encouraging to see how the community pitched in to help keep the Namekagon River pristine.”