Vermillion River Cleanup volunteers always find plenty to pick up. Above, members of the Rapids Riders group show off their haul: 20 bags of trash, several bikes and a couple holiday icons.

Photo courtesy of Rapids Riders

Come celebrate National Public Lands Day with us! Help pick up litter along the Vermillion River during the lower water levels of autumn, helping to beautify this trophy trout stream!

CP Adams is a 40-acre park roughly a mile south of downtown Hastings. Volunteers will be picking up in areas near lakes and wetlands that feed/border the Vermillion River. The park is known for both its recreational activities — such as its frisbee golf course and paved trails — and high-quality natural areas.

After receiving garbage bags and gloves, volunteers will walk and collect litter and other debris that has accumulated along the river and floodplain over the summer months. There are also forested areas and trail- or road-side areas where volunteers can choose to work. All supplies are provided and FMR staff will be on-hand for further direction and support as needed. Lunch will be provided at the conclusion.

This event is part of the Vermillion Stewards program, which helps local residents learn about the watershed while working to protect and enhance its unique natural resources.

Ready to register?

To ensure a high-quality experience and adequate supplies (including lunch), capacity is limited and pre-registration required. To sign up, contact FMR Program Assistant Erika Guenther at eguenther[at]fmr.org or by selecting "Erika Guenther" in the dropdown menu under "Category"  in our contact form. She can also be reached at 651-222-2193 x23. Please include: the name of the event, your name, address and phone number and the number in your party.

You will receive a confirmation email and additional details, such as directions and what to wear, from eguenther[at]fmr.org within, at most, a week. If you have earthlink or an active SPAM filter, please add Erika's email address to your contacts to ensure receipt.

If you can't make this event but would like to be notified of future Vermillion Stewards restoration and education events, contact FMR Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator sue rich at srich [at] fmr.org or by selecting "Volunteer" under "Category" in our contact form!