It’s amazing to see what 128 hardworking volunteers can do to improve the native ecology of the Meramec River watershed in a single Saturday! On March 10, we were thrilled to support two cleanup efforts in the Meramec Greenway.

Meramec Greenway: Pacific
In Pacific, The Ozark Trail Association, Pacific River Walk Trail Association and more than 40 volunteers joined forces to clear trash and debris along the Meramec River. The goal of the cleanup was to remove trash, invasive plants, and two dilapidated cabins along the route of a planned riverfront park in Pacific that will eventually link the Meramec Greenway, the City of Eureka and the Ozark Trail.

Thanks to the hardworking volunteers—and two expert equipment operators—the group removed more than 30 cubic yards of trash and debris left on the property by past floods. Volunteers also removed invasive plants, benefiting the native ecology of the Meramec River watershed.

Meramec Greenway: Lower Meramec Park
The Open Space Council kicked off their 51st Annual Operation Clean Stream with a special winter clean up near lower Meramec Park. More than 88 volunteers pitched in to remove scrap tires, debris, and other litter to improve the overall quality of the watershed and improve open spaces.
At the end of the day, they removed 5 tons of scrap metal, 50 cubic yards of trash and 100 tires.

Many hands make light work and we rely on the support of partners like the Open Space Council along with volunteers to maintain the greenways and improve our region’s watersheds. If you would like to learn more about the Open Space Council’s Operation Clean Stream, visit their website here. If you would like to receive updates and information about volunteer opportunities, sign up for our quarterly volunteer newsletter here.