Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources are requesting volunteers for the 10th Annual Great Gwinnett Wetlands event on May 4.
The two groups said they were proud to co-host the event, representing a decade of wetland stewardship in the area.
“We plan to have multiple teams fan out across the area to pick up trash and cut invasive privet that choke the health of the wetlands,” a recent press release states. “Much of the area where the work will be performed is wet and muddy. Volunteers are asked to wear closed-toe shoes – preferably hiking boots or muck/rain boots – and clothes they won’t mind getting dirty. They should also be sure to bring a snack and water bottle to stay hydrated.”
Wetlands are rapidly disappearing across the U.S. due to agriculture and construction despite being an incredibly important ecosystem in north Georgia, both for wildlife and for our communities.
The saturated, spongy ground absorbs excess rainwater during heavy rain, preventing the flooding of rivers and streams which contribute to unsafe road conditions.
Like kidneys in our own bodies, wetlands help purify bodies of water. They process nutrients, small particles and other pollutants as the water soaks through the dense soil and roots of the plants that thrive there.
According to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, The Great Gwinnett Wetlands program is “designed to grow awareness and promote the ongoing stewardship of Gwinnett’s numerous wetlands to prevent a deterioration of their vitality through littering, which also harms water resources like the Chattahoochee River, Yellow River, Lake Lanier, Jackson Lake, and ultimately the near pristine Altamaha River.”
Join in to clean up, protect and collect water quality data for Gwinnett’s most important water resource– its wetlands!
Click here to volunteer.
This event does not qualify for court-mandated community service hours.
