| Trash
Removal Project Trash
Talkin' The next
time someone says, "But it is biodegradable," and then carelessly tosses the
trash trailside, hand that person the
following facts: Orange
Peel--2 years to biodegrade John
Steinbeck, the Nobel prize – winning novelist, said it best: "The trash and
litter of nature disappears into the ground with the passing of each year, but Man's
litter has more permanence." It is precisely because of this trash
"permanence" that a small group of visionaries (perhaps masochists!) agreed over
five years ago not to wait for "Man's litter" to biodegrade in Mount Diablo
State Park. This group formed the Trash Removal Project (TRP).
The TRP
group identified 113 cleanup sites in the Park. Those sites were photographed and mapped.
Each site then goes through a rigorous formal review and approval process by Park
management before work can begin at a cleanup site. This insures that endangered or
hreatened fauna and flora are protected, and that
objects of historical and cultural significance are preserved. The TRP cleanup sites vary
from the litter-scattered Green Ranch house complex, to a mangled and abandoned steel
culvert, to a ranch garbage dump, to a dilapidated tree house, to barbed wire fencing.
During the past five years, one-third of the 113 sites have been completed.
The large number of
volunteers who have worked on these TRP sites has been particularly ratifying. We have had
help from individuals and organizations. Since early 2001, these volunteers have worked a
total of 6,721 TRP hours. Some of the orrail Dogs (Livermore). Over the past five years,
twelve Boy Scout Eagle Projects coordinated by the TRP committee have been completed.
Congratulations to five Eagle aspirants who have recently completed their Eagle Projects.
Four of these five scouts removed long sections of barbed wire fencing resulting in
enhancing the Park's beautification and reduced hazards for people and wildlife.
Cattle
fencing is no longer needed in the Park as grazing was discontinued in 1993 on most of the
20,000-plus acres of the Park. There still exists 1,000 acres of cattle grazing for 100
cows on the Park's southern boundaries for "demonstration" (educational)
purposes. The scouts of those five projects did a superior job of crew planning,
organizing and completing the work efficiently and in a safe manner The Park is safer and
more beautiful today because of their efforts. IAN ALVARO
of Troop #832 (Walnut Creek) -- his 2006 project entailed the removal of 200 fence posts
and about one and one-half miles of barbed wire that stretched south from the Burma Fire
Road to near the Angel Kerley Fire Road. GREG KOHL of
Troop #36 (Danville)—his 2005 project consisted of removing 175 fence posts and about one and one-half miles of barbed wire
that ran east from the BBQ Terrace Fire Road to the Diablo Ranch property. BRET MENICKE
of Troop #36 (Danville)--his 2006 project involved the extraction of 230 fence posts and
two miles of barbed wire fencing in upper Curry Canyon near South Gate Road. ERIC MURRAY
of Troop #803 (Danville)-- his 2005 project required the removal of 224 fence posts and
over two miles of barbed wire fencing along Stage Road in Pine Canyon. GREG
PAPIERNIAK of Troop #36 (Danville)--his 2005 project involved major repair work on Devils
Slide Trail. He and his crew built natural rock walls to curtail trail erosion, and did
other work on the trail to prevent further erosion damage. Steel fence posts were also
removed. A remarkably
large amount of trash has been removed for recycling or Park reuse over the past five
years: 23,070 Board
Feet of Wood So, think
trash, and think of Mount Diablo State Park as 100% trash free! When you are out hiking,
take a plastic newspaper bag with you and pick up litter. Mount Diablo State Park will
gain and earn the reputation of being the most pristine and litter-free Park amongst the
278 in the State. [Also see earlier 2001 archived article on Trash Removal] [Return to MDIA Publications Online Index] Volunteer
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