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Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz and water-quality interns Corey Reaves and Caroline DeGroodt met up with students in Raleigh’s Neighborhood Ecology Corps for cleanout of the Little Rock Creek trash trap this week.

The Little Rock Creek trash trap was the third of 13 installed as part of Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free program and is located on the grounds of the Walnut Creek Wetland Center.

“There was a lot of rain the night before the cleanout, so there was a lot of trash and woody debris,” Emily said.

Though Emily and four Corps members removed 20 pounds of trash from the trap, the cleanout was hampered by a large tree limb that had become wedged in the passive litter-collection device on its way downstream.

“We weren’t able to get the tree limb out of the trap — it was a little too much for me to tackle solo, so Clay (Program Director Clay Barber) and I will probably be doing that next week,” Emily said.

Sound Rivers has partnered on many occasions with the Neighborhood Ecology Corps, an afterschool program focusing on environmental learning and action. Middle and high-school participants meet weekly during the school year, with a few special meetings during the summer break.

Emily said it was a hot day, so there were plenty of breaks and plenty interesting finds: a rubber ducky and a ring with googly eyes.

“It was a good cleanup. It got cut a little short because we heard thunder, and by the time we got out of the creek and to the Wetland Center the rain started, so we sat in the rocking chairs on the porch and watched the rain,” Emily said. “We definitely needed the rain.”

Like Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program? We love it! Find out more about how you can be a part of it here OR donate today to keep your rivers litter-free!