OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development  | Published September 30

September was an inspiring month of action and impact for the OARS community. Volunteers, both new and returning, pulled on their boots, grabbed their gloves, and dove headfirst into our 38th Annual SuAsCo Rivers Cleanup—a month-long event that unites our community to protect and preserve the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers. With the support of dedicated community members and local partners, we tackled multiple projects at several locations throughout the watershed, pulling trash, clearing invasive plants, and restoring the natural beauty of our cherished rivers.

Despite the weather throwing a few curveballs our way (shoutout to our Billerica cleanup crew who had to reschedule due to heavy rain!), our volunteers powered through with resilience and determination. From hauling out shopping carts and BMX bikes to clearing invasive Japanese knotweed, our crew made an enormous impact.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Total weight of trash collected: Over 200 lbs!
• Items recovered: tires, cans, cigarettes, bottles, a shopping cart, a BMX bike, painting items, wrappers, paper, and more!
• Most unusual item found: A “Golden Wedding” whiskey bottle, embossed with the slogan “Has Had No Peers for 50 Years.”
• Number of participating sites: 5 across the watershed (Assabet River Trail, Ice House Landing, Maynard’s Assabet Coop, the Concord River in Billerica, and Ice House Pond in Acton).

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MONTH

• A few hardy souls braved a cold, rainy day to make a difference. Among them, one family brought their baby in a backpack to show that it’s never too early to start river stewardship!
• Volunteers cleaned up the Assabet River Trail by the CVS in Maynard and the Ice House Landing impoundment, collecting a significant amount of litter and improving the local ecosystem.
• The Maynard High School Green Team partnered with the Assabet Co-op Market cleanup crew to tackle the persistent Japanese knotweed problem, hauling and piling up the invasive plant for proper disposal.
• During a ceremony at the Maynard cleanup, State Representative Kate Hogan and State Senator Jamie Eldridge presented OARS with a $30,000 earmark for our water quality monitoring program and honored OARS’ recently retired Executive Director, Alison Field-Juma, for her 20 years of dedication to the environmental field.
• At our Ice House Pond Water Chestnut Pull in Acton, 37 dedicated community members joined forces to remove over 2,700 water chestnut plants! Heather Conkerton, OARS’ Ecological Restoration Coordinator, and Isabel Ryen, our Community Engagement Coordinator and TerraCorps Service Member, were even interviewed by Acton TV about the significance of this work in maintaining the health and beauty of our waterways. It was a true testament to the power of community collaboration.

LOOKING FORWARD

We are thrilled to report that two key community partners, The Assabet Coop, Green Maynard, The Town of Acton, and Beautify Billerica, have expressed interest in scheduling additional cleanup events. This continued collaboration will help us build on the momentum of September’s successes and create even more lasting improvements to our rivers and trails.

We want to thank all the volunteers and our dedicated partners who helped make this year’s cleanup a success despite the challenges. Your hard work not only improves our rivers today but also sets the stage for future generations to enjoy and cherish these natural treasures.

THE CLEANUP CONTINUES YEAR-ROUND!

September may be over, but our commitment to keeping our rivers clean never ends! You can create your own Team-Up Cleanup crew any time of year—gather your friends, family, or neighbors when you see an area along our rivers or their tributaries that needs some TLC. Let us know if you spot a place that could use a cleanup, and keep an eye out for more events throughout the year. With Isabel Ryen, our new Community Engagement Coordinator and TerraCorps Service Member on board, we’ll be organizing even more cleanup opportunities in the coming months!

Want to help keep our river access points safe and beautiful? Sign up to Adopt-a-Launch today!

BUT WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE

We need YOUR support to keep these vital cleanups going strong. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us provide tools, resources, and guidance for our volunteers, and keeps our rivers safe, clean, and accessible.

PLEASE DONATE NOW TO SUPPORT THIS CRUCIAL WORK AND INVEST IN THE FUTURE OR OUR RIVERS!

DONATE TO THE CLEANUPS TODAY

SIGN UP TO ADOPT-A-LAUNCH

REPORT AN AREA IN NEED OF A CLEANUP

REPORT YOUR TEAM-UP CLEANUP ACTIVITIES

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR CLEANUP HEROES

We couldn’t have made such a huge impact without our amazing Cleanup volunteers and sponsors. Your hard work and dedication are what make these cleanups possible, and we are incredibly grateful for your efforts!

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO

• Al and Sandy Peirce for patrolling the shoreline of the Assabet River between Powdermill Dam in Acton and Waltham Street in Maynard, collecting over 49 pieces of trash and 12 recyclable containers.
• Marlies Henderson and the Beautify Billerica team for stepping up to lead the rainy-day makeup cleanup along the Concord River in Billerica, showing true community spirit and dedication.
• Drew and Cathy Simmons, and Mary Stevens for their cleanup along the Assabet River in Hudson. They picked up 8 bags of trash, including sixteen 5-gallon buckets that were full of old bottles, shoes, and two irons. They also pulled a scooter out of the river!
• All the volunteers who braved the rain, mud, and chilly days to help restore our rivers’ beauty and health.

WE ALSO WANT TO EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

	Acton Hydro Company

Your support and enthusiasm help keep our rivers clean and thriving.

Thank you for making a difference in our watershed community!