Mystic Community Earth Day a Success

Organizations throughout the Mystic River Watershed came together to organize Earth Day related events on Saturday, April 30th, including clean-ups, trail clearings, and plantings.  This successful day allowed many volunteers to help revitalize their communities - thanks to all who participated!

Event details:

Volunteers remove litter near Assembly Square in Somerville.In Somerville, MyRWA and Groundwork Somerville had over 30 volunteers including those from the MWRA and DCR to help clean the banks of the Mystic - photos here! Unique items included a ski pole, coconuts, a car bumper and vampire teeth.

The Chelsea Cleanup drew over 100 people.

Chelsea saw between 100 – 125 volunteers throughout the day.  In addition to cleaning the Mill Creek and Island End River, we also cleaned various neighborhoods in Chelsea.

In Medford about 100 volunteers worked at five sites, removing more than 40 bags of trash, and 5 garden planters.  Fifty volunteers helped Friends of the Mystic River to clean up Riverbend Park, MacDonald Park, Condon Shell Park, and the river itself (two people in a boat). Altogether, the volunteers collected about 30 bags of trash and recyclables, plus 4 car tires, 3 car batteries, and 2 shopping carts! In Medford Square, 37 volunteers collected trash on Riverside Ave, including the brick plaza, on Clippership Ave and the new Clippership Park, as well as in the intersection at the center of the Square. They also cleaned up and planted several concrete planters with pansies, alyssum, and hostas. And at the Brooks School, teams of students, teachers, and other volunteers collected used and broken appliances from almost 100 cars. The donations from the collection will go to the Brooks School PTO. Also, on Friday (Arbor Day), DPW staff planted about a dozen young trees in Mystic Riverbend Park next to the river.  Staff and volunteers also cleared out a good deal of invasive growth, including bittersweet and wild rose. 

Malden's festivities included a drum circle.In Malden, roughly 100 volunteers from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM removed trash, brush, and other debris from the Malden River Walk and future Northern Strand Community Trail areas along the Malden River.  In total, they filled about 40 trash bags, requiring two DPW dump trucks!  Interesting finds along the railroad tracks where the Northern Strand trail will be built included car parts, one large tire, plastic dinosaur toy, and ironically, a sign advertising junk removal services.  A group of Malden youth also painted signs for these riverfront trails and planted some native shrubs at the entrance of the Malden River Walk. See additional photos here and here.

  

A youth team from NOAH at work for Earth Day.On April 29th, a youth crew from NOAH cleaned up the Condor Street Urban Wild in East Boston, including impressive team work to remove this large tire from the beach. The event was organized by the Environmental Chelsea Creek Crew (E3C) and the East Boston Chelsea Creek Action Group.

Read about the cleanup here.