Skip to content

Local conservationists clean up public land near Galloway

Twenty members of the community volunteered their time for the clean up effort
21983322_web1_200702-FFP-GallowayLandCleanUp-CleanUpDay_1
One of many loads of debris removed from the public land. Photos Submitted

Twenty members of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), the East Kootenay chapter of Backcountry Horsemen of British Columbia, and the Fernie Rod and Gun Club got together on June 27 in a collaborative effort to clean up a piece of public land near Galloway, B.C.

The volunteers collected a variety of debris but mainly discarded tires - 273 of them! The tires ranged from car tires to tractor tires and filled four dump trucks. The tires were illegally dumped by people whose idea of appreciating public lands consists of rolling tires and a variety of other debris off the forest service road above.

Even though it was hot and steep there were a lot of laughs as the participants combed the mountainside and dragged, carried and rolled the tires down to a skid trail at the bottom where Rosen Lake Sand and Gravel collected it in their loader and hauled the materials to their pit for sorting before hauling the debris to landfill.

A big thanks to the many volunteers for their hard work. Brad Wright for organizing the event, Rosen Lake Sand and Gravel for providing its trucks and equipment and the Regional District of East Kootenay, who waived the disposal fees.



editor@thefreepress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

21983322_web1_200702-FFP-GallowayLandCleanUp-CleanUpDay_2
Rosen Lake Sand and Gravel donated their time and equipment for the clean up effort. Photo Submitted
21983322_web1_200702-FFP-GallowayLandCleanUp-CleanUpDay_4
The youngest volunteer was a sixteen-year-old girl who organizers say kept up with the rest of the volunteers slinging heavy tires and only slowing down long enough to remove five wood ticks. Photo Submitted
21983322_web1_200702-FFP-GallowayLandCleanUp-CleanUpDay_5
Volunteers remove old carpet and tires that had been dumped on the public land. Photo Submitted