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FRANCIS MARION NATIONAL FOREST CLEANUP RESULTS

FRANCIS MARION NATIONAL FOREST CLEANUP RESULTS

Volunteers Dedicated Saturday Morning to Improving the Forest Environments

Columbia, SC – Volunteers gathered at the Sewee Education Center in Awendaw Saturday to cleanup litter and illegal dumpsites in the Francis Marion National Forest.   Two-hundred and thirty volunteers dedicated their Saturday morning to improving our forest environment. 

Individual volunteers and groups gathered at 8 a.m. at the Sewee Education Center before heading out to designate cleanup sites.   Groups participating included Boy Scout Troop 457, the Palmetto Jeep Club, the Lowcountry Jeep Club, the East Cooper/Mt. Pleasant Kiwanis, Charleston Collegiate School and Wando High School Key Club.  After a three-hour cleanup, 34.22 tons of trash – including 100 tires – were removed from the forest.  Volunteers were treated to lunch from Domino's Pizza and drinks from Coca Cola.

“Francis Marion visitors have always come through to show their dedication to their public lands – to give back,” said Francis Marion District Ranger Orlando Sutton.  “The hard work and hours donated by volunteers such as these reminds us that partnership[s are key to successful management, even on an individual basis.”

PalmettoPride and the USDA Forest Service co-hosted the event.  Charleston County and Berkeley County Solid Waste helped coordinate waste removal from the forest and from the Sewee Center. County government s provided roll-off containers and necessary equipment to remove large items form the forest.  Organizations that contributed goods and services include: Coca Cola, Domino's Pizza and Wal-Mart. 

The 2^nd Annual Francis Marion National Forest Cleanup was another successful event, building on the initiative that began last year.  In March 2003, cleanup hosts PalmettoPride and the USDA Forest Service held the first cleanup.  Due to the success of last year's cleanup, it has become an annual event held on the first Saturday in February.  Volunteers have removed over 90 tons of trash and illegal dumpsite debris in four jointly held cleanups. 

PalmettoPride is a statewide non-profit dedicated to reducing litter in South Carolina and promoting beautification in our communities.  Their focus is a 4-pronged approach: education, enforcement, awareness and pickup.  For more information on PalmettoPride, please contact www.palmettopride.org.

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 Francis Marion National Forest, please visit www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms.

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