Quality Parks Adopts Road to Keep Pine Barrens Cleaner

Quality Parks will continue to play a strong role in reducing litter in the Long Island Central Pine Barrens. "Empowering the Public to Keep Public Spaces Clean," a story introduced to us by Raymond Corwin, and an inspirational video on "Spring Cleaning in Estonia," have been key to Quality Parks decision. They have formally adopted a portion of Whiskey Road, near Parking Lot #18, under the Town of Brookhaven's Adopt-A-Highway Program.

Quality Parks will be regularly picking up roadside trash, but will be sorting out bottle caps for recycling elsewhere, as the Town of Brookhaven's Waste Management Division doesn't recycle hard plastic bottle caps. "Recycle Caps With Aveda" accepts used bottle caps by store location or by mail. Quality Parks will register with Aveda to cover shipping costs. Mailed recycled caps will be used to make new caps for Aveda's beauty and wellness products, and the Pine Barrens will be cleaner for it.

Quality Parks will also be working closely with local groups and organizations to encourage similar programs in other parts of the Pine Barrens. The following photographs illustrate some of the work being done this week. Trash is being bagged and piled up along the roadside edge near Parking Lot #18. It will be picked up by the Town of Brookhaven after a few more days of clean up. In coordination with the Pine Barrens Commission's Incident Reporting System, Quality Parks has also identified larger trash removal needs. (Parking Lot #18, and #16 respectively).

It isn't easy finding out who has adopted what section of road in the Pine Barrens. Quality Parks needs your help in identifying who else is picking up litter! Contact me with your information or questions. A special thank you goes to the Town of Brookhaven Adopt-A-Highway Program for their great program and signage, and to the Pine Barrens Commision's Incident Reporting System.

Quality Parks empowers stakeholders with the means to be more effective in their support of parks and protected areas. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Quality Parks is a professional organization sponsoring projects that improve both business and environmental conditions. We balance recreational and economic needs while conserving and restoring the Earth's cultural and ecological biodiversity. We cooperate with and directly support park and protected area managers. We also disseminate information, provide experiential learning opportunities, and support efforts designed to stimulate, encourage, educate and involve the general public in natural resource stewardship practices.

For more information, contact: Quality Parks - P.O. Box 143; Port Jefferson, NY 11777-0143 - info@qualityparks.org - 631-473-6760

Sources

Mindy Block's Video About Parking Lot #18 - http://qualityparks.org/content/video-parking-lot-18

Susan Dokko's Article About Bottle Caps - http://qualityparks.org/content/bottle-caps-did-you-know

Recycle Caps With Aveda - http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp

Empowering The Public - http://www.pwmag.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=0&articleID=772815&artnum=1

Spring Cleaning in Estonia - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7382489.stm

Mindy Block's Article About Incident Reporting - http://qualityparks.org/content/new-incident-reporting-system-enables-improved-response-illegal-dumping-pine-barrens