Earth Day

Burrillville had its Earth Day Clean-up yesterday.  Paul and I volunteered to pick up garbage on a long road we use every day that goes through Black Hut Management Area.  It is a very beautiful place filled with all kinds of plants, rocks and water.

Fiddleheads are coming up all along the road.  In Summer, the ground will be completely hidden by the ferns' lacy fronds.

The seasonal creeks still have some water running through them.

Unfortunately not everyone who passes along this road appreciates the beauty and the importance of this area.  Paul and I have been saddened to see all the garbage tossed from passing cars or left from hunters entering the woods at points along the road.  So we signed up, received our Official T-shirts and garbage bags, and got to work. 

A beautiful day, warm and sunny.  I found it hard to focus on the garbage!  Unfortunately the May flies decided it was the perfect day to make their somewhat early debut so I spent a lot of time swatting as Paul irritatingly commented "They don't bother me!"

We found lots of beer cans.

Didn't they know Earth Day was coming?  Click to enlarge and see the date!

Paul saw clouds of frog eggs attached to submerged tree branches in this vernal pool.  PEEPERS!  We often hear them when we drive past this spot in the evening.

We collected 3 bags of garbage and left them by the side of the road for same-day town pick-up.  Dunkin Donuts coffee cups were the most numerous, followed by an array of alcohol containers, soda cans and water bottles.  We were appalled to see that several of the water bottles were full,  apparently unopened.  What a waste!  Would it be such a bother for those using these wonderful woods to keep a garbage bag in their vehicles for those coffee cups?

I had to get back to work in the garden.  I had put off pulling back last season's mulch to avoid disturbing the thirsty soil.  Now I need every drop of the coming rain to reach the plant roots.  Paul, not satisfied with the amount of garbage we had temporarily eliminated, headed over to another place by Spring Lake in need of a little TLC.  Kudos Paul!

Here are a few more photos of Magnificent Black Hut Management Area.

                              Happy Earth Day Everyone!