Volunteers from the Cowichan Valley Cleanup Effort cleared 6100 pounds of assorted garbage from the Bannon Creek Forest Reserve on Saturday.
The final weight was not inclusive of a large volume of scrap metal that was also removed from the forest. A 16-foot fibreglass boat was broken down into pieces and removed as well. Hudson Procter Contracting donated an excavator and gravel truck to remove the boat.
“We got the big stuff out, but there’s more up the little side roads. It’s so overgrown there now that it’s hard to find stuff,” clean up organizer Peter Williams said.
RELATED: Over 75kg of trash found up Bannon Creek Forest Reserve with more left to clean up
It took the volunteers a total of eight hours to clear what garbage they could access. A bulk of the garbage found was nearby the Saltair water treatment plant on South Watts road. Each of the volunteers received free tipping at the Peerless Road Recycling Centre from the CVRD.
Williams explained that the issue of dumping in Bannon Creek will be ongoing. To combat the issue of illegal dumping, Williams suggested that the landowners install cameras at the gate to catch vehicles coming in with loads and leaving without them. He also suggested that the dump should be open seven days a week, as it is currently closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Mary Furneaux of Ladysmith Subway donated food for the volunteers. Volunteers included: Leigha Rota and Nick Serena Alexander Steph Hart Devon Bonke Clayton McKelvie Richard Arkwright Hudson Procter. Enex Fuels provided a tent for the volunteer sign in station.