Columbia, SC- USDA Forest Service, PalmettoPride, and over 30 volunteers teamed up to collect 1.72 tons of trash and over 40 tires from the Sumter National Forest's Enoree Ranger District, on Saturday, October 25, 2008. This was the first cleanup in this area of the Sumter National Forest.  

Volunteers gathered at the Tyger Officer for safety instructions before heading out to the designated illegal dumpsites.  Following the cleanup, volunteers returned to the Tyger Office to dump their trash and eat lunch.  Jay Swafford, Hydrology Technician at the Forest, was instrumental in coordinating the logistics for the cleanup. A special thank you goes out to the organizations who contributed to the cleanup's success, including:  Boys Scouts Troop III, Gaffney High School Green Team local citizens, and UPS employees.

PalmettoPride Program Coordinator Gene Campbell stated, “We are grateful to Jay Swafford and the Enoree Ranger District staff for their help in coordinating Saturday's event. We will work together to tackle other areas of the forest in the near future.”

The Sumter and Francis Marion National Forests are managed by the USDA Forest Service and encompass more than 629,000 acres throughout South Carolina. This cleanup was one of several ongoing efforts to clear the forests of litter and illegal dumping that threatens local wildlife and hinders forest activities such as hunting, camping, and fishing.

PalmettoPride is the state anti-litter and beautification organization. 

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more information on the Sumter National Forest, please visit www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms.

###