Northern Michigan River Sweep (Summary and photos by Sheri Rhoads)
Friends of the Boyne River joined volunteers across northern Michigan for the first annual six-river clean up on Saturday, August 24, 2013.
Northern Michigan River Sweep participants walked river banks and floated the rivers collecting trash along 100 river miles of the Boyne, Jordan, Maple, Bear, Pigeon and Sturgeon Rivers. Our Boyne River group collected 170 pounds of debris from the river itself and from four road crossings in the watershed.
The event was organized by Ethan Winchester of Boyne Outfitters with major support from American Rivers – National River Cleanup. Several groups coordinated activities on specific rivers:
* Friends of the Boyne and Boyne Outfitters cleaned the Boyne River
* Friends of the Jordan cleaned the Jordan River
* Petoskey’s Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council took on the Bear River
* Boardman River Clean Sweep cleaned the Sturgeon
* Gaylord-based Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Huron Pines cleaned the Pigeon River
Additional support came from Conservation Resource Alliance, Big Bear Adventures, Charlevoix Conservation District, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
A cookout for all volunteers was held at Boyne Mountain Resort at the end of the day. It was sponsored by Miller Van Winkle Trout Unlimited and New Belgium Brewing Company.