AHRA and GARNA to host annual 'Clean Up-Green Up' day to prep Arkansas River for summer season
Bill Vogrin
May 5, 2023
AHRA, GARNA to celebrate Public Lands Day with river cleanup from Granite to Cañon City
SALIDA, Colo. – The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) will host the 32nd Annual Clean Up-Green Up in conjunction with Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday, May 20.
Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 20, volunteers will work along the banks of the Arkansas River, from Granite, south of Leadville, to Cañon City, collecting trash and debris in preparation for the busy summer boating and angling season. The work coincides with the start of spring snowmelt and run-off.
Volunteers are invited to register online and select the area they want to clean up. Check-in will be at 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the AHRA Visitor Center, 307 W. Sackett Ave. in Salida, or at the Buena Vista Community Center, 715 E Main, in Buena Vista. That’s also where they’ll get supplies and a lunch voucher for the post-clean up volunteer picnic.
Bagged trash can be dropped off from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Salida’s South Ark property (formerly the Vandaveer Ranch) on the city’s southeast edge, at the Buena Vista Community Center or behind the entrance sign at any AHRA-managed site. Trash dumpsters will be provided by Chaffee County Waste. American Rivers is providing the trash bags for volunteers.
A volunteer picnic will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at both the South Ark property and BV Community Center. Prizes will be awarded for Largest Piece of Trash and other categories. The city of Salida is also holding the Annual Touch-A-Truck event at South Ark from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
For those pre-registered with a location, check-in is not necessary unless you are planning to join the picnic or need supplies.
Clean Up-Green Up is in partnership with AHRA, GARNA, Bureau of Land Management, City of Salida, Town of Buena Vista, Salida Parks Open Space & Trails (SPOT) and Trout Unlimited.
For more information, contact AHRA at 719-539-7289 or GARNA at 719-539-5106.
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The AHRA stretches 152 miles along the Arkansas River from Leadville to Pueblo. It is managed through a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Formed in 1989, this partnership allows agencies to provide visitors with recreation opportunities and care for significant natural resources of the upper Arkansas River valley.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.