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SUMTER NATIONAL FOREST CLEANUP NEEDS LOTS OF HELPING HANDS

                             Media Contacts:

                                        Palmetto Pride: Sarah Robinson, 803-758-6034

                                                                       FMS National Forests: Gwyn Ingram, 803-561-4007

SUMTER NATIONAL FOREST CLEANUP NEEDS LOTS OF HELPING HANDS

PalmettoPride and the USDA Forest Service Team Up Again to Clean Up

Columbia, SC – Volunteers are needed to help clean up the Sumter National Forest on Saturday October 24, 2009.  This cleanup is part of an on-going cleanup campaign coordinated by the USDA Forest Service and PalmettoPride.  Saturday's cleanup will focus on a portion of the Enoree Ranger District in Laurens County. 

Volunteers are asked to meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Tip Top Hunting Camp in Laurens County.  The cleanup will last until 11:30 and lunch will be provided to all volunteers.  (For directions to Tip Top Hunting Camp, please contact Gene Campbell at ecampbell@palmettopride.org or call 803-758-6034.) 

Since 2004, volunteers have helped USDA Forest Service and PalmettoPride remove more than 37 tons of trash in the Sumter National Forest.   Because much of the forest is not visible to passers-by, these lands are particularly vulnerable to illegal dumping of household waste, construction debris and recreational materials.  Trash is dangerous not only to recreational users of the forest lands, but toxins leach out and pollute water and soil, damaging wildlife habitats and water sources. 

Volunteers are crucial in cleaning up and protecting our natural resources.  The damage to these lands will have lasting effects not only for wildlife but also to all people who live near the forest.  

The Sumter National Forest encompasses 410,000 acres of land in South Carolina.  Made up of three districts – Long Cane, Andrew Pickens and Enoree – the forest provides for recreational activities, wildlife habitats, watershed management and many other environmental uses.  The Enoree Ranger District spans five counties and has active wildlife and fisheries programs, recreational activities and timber management. 

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To volunteer for the cleanup on Saturday, October 24, 2009, please contact Gene Campbell at 803-758-6034. 

PalmettoPride is the state anti-litter and beautification organization. It's mission is to eradicate litter and promote beautification in South Carolina. For more information on this cleanup and other programs, please visit 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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