Suwannee River Cleanup

​On Saturday, April 18, a long-overdue Suwannee River cleanup took place at Fowler’s Bluff under beautiful spring weather. The event was championed by the Fowler’s Bluff community, with major support provided by the staff and Friends of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge.

Setting out from the dock.

​Adding to the effort were several out-of-state U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel who were in the area on fire alert status. They welcomed the opportunity to spend a day on the river and described the experience as a special treat. Everyone involved seemed especially proud to receive a certificate of participation at the end of the day.

Fire crew staged at Refuge Headquarters were a huge help!

​The cleanup was organized and led by Erik and Melony Degelan of Suwannee Sunshine River Tours. Despite having only five staffed boats, volunteers managed to completely fill a large dumpster with debris removed from the river and surrounding swamp areas.

Items collected during the cleanup included:

• 12 bags of trash
• Ten 50-gallon barrels
• 300 pounds of dock material
• Four tires
• One utility pole
• Several plastic chairs
• A 100-foot trotline submerged in the river

By far the largest category of debris was Styrofoam, with volunteers estimating that between 400 and 600 pounds were removed. One especially large piece had to be cut into four sections before it could be hauled out of the swamp.
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The cleanup was a tremendous community effort and an important step toward protecting the natural beauty and health of the Suwannee River for future generations.

Story and images Credit Jay Bushnell