Appalachian Trail (28-June-2016)

With the forecast showing rain for the day, I thought it would be a good day for a hike on the Appalachian Trail. I called up Andrew Gaerthe to see if he wanted to go along for a clean-up and we decided on the section between Little Gap and Lehigh Gap. It is an area I go to on a regular basis and I wondered with the summer and increased hikers if it would once again be trashy. 

As we headed up the mountain the clouds kept the hike cool, but there was no rain. Did find several bottles on the way up. Very little compared to other times and the campsites along the trail also had very little trash.

Once at the top of the mountain we diverted from the AT and took an access road that heads strait out to Lehigh Gap. Around this area Andrew mentioned how much the mountain has changed over the years. A decade ago, with the exception of a handful of trees, this area was all barren rock. Deposition of heavy metals from a zinc smelting facility in the valley had killed off the plant life and the soil had washed away with rain. Reclamation projects continue today and so far have made a huge difference.

There are some patches that still resemble what the mountain looked like in the past. Every year these areas get a little smaller and the mountain fills in with more green. 

Near Little Gap we got back on the AT to work our way back to Little Gap. On the top of the mountain there was very little trash at all. In some sections we went over a mile without seeing a single piece. It was nice to see so little trash, the last trip up here was similar. The only problem with this trip was that the forecast ended up not being correct. For over half the time we were on the top it was full sun and it got hot. All around us were clouds, but directly overhead was a patch of blue sky and the sun shinning through. 

Penny was along as well and she did not like the sun or the heat. This is her taking a break in the shade towards the end. 

On the way out Andrew spotted this Eastern Rat Snake. Rat Snakes are very beneficial to our environment and if you ever see one around your house they are most likely there to help you with a pest problem. They eat rodents, in the wild they help keep rodent populations down and around your house they would be doing the same thing. As this small Rat Snake in the photo above demonstrates, Rat Snakes are good at climbing trees. This allows them to prey on bird eggs as well. If you ever encounter a snake in the wild, give it respect and keep your distance. As long as you stay five feet or more away, even a venomous snake is harmless. 

I thought it was pretty cool that we hiked eight miles and this was all the trash that we found! Thank you Andrew for going along!

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Brodhead Creek and Delaware River (26-June-2016)

I am really trying to cover all of the areas I worked on last year in addition to adding new sites. For this clean-up I headed back to one of the places I worked on last year in the Delaware Water Gap. I started at Minisink Park and the goal was to do a clean-up on an island that is at the confluence of the Brodhead Creek and Delaware River. 

I didn't set out directly for the island and instead started working my way down the Brodhead slowly. Right away I started finding trash and with all of the trash this stream seems to be a popular place for people to hang out.

Looking down the Brodhead towards the Delaware. 

Wading through the water I found this car mirror. Well the actual mirror was gone, so just the plastic casing. 

I can't recall seeing this before. I have been here several times and I don't think we have had high enough waters to push a car frame down stream. Maybe it has been there for years and it was just covered in debris or maybe I was just focused on the other bank when walking through. This isn't something I can remove, wish I could.

I never know when I find a large piece of plastic in a debris pile if I will be able to remove it or not. Sometimes they are so entangled it is impossible. This one came out with a mild tug.

There are multiple garbage cans a short distance from the creek in the park. I am really not bothered if people have a few beers and a picnic by the stream, just take care of your own trash. 

Another piece of large plastic. Where does all this stuff come from? This one too was relatively easy to remove.

With a pack full of recyclables and nearly a contractor size bag full of trash I decided to go back to the park and dispose of this stuff before continuing on to the island. 

The black item near the trash bag is some kind of thick plastic I picked up on the way back to the park. With the first round done I pack the recyclables into my car, threw out the trash in one of the many cans and headed back down the Brodhead to the island. 

This time I walked the opposite bank down. Not as much trash just a few things here and there scattered between the rocks and there was this glove in the water too. 

I think this was my coolest golfball find ever! Mr. Peanut! He must have spent some time wedged in the bank upside down.

At the head of the island there were more debris piles. I carefully picked through them and removed most of the trash. Behind one of the larger debris piles there was a handful of bottles I left behind. There was no way to get to them safely.

Made several piles like this while pulling from the debris piles, then sorted the recyclables from the trash.

The view looking up the Delaware from the head of the island. 

As I started going down this side of the island I wasn't finding much trash at all. I thought that the channel on the other side would probably have more and made the decision to cut through the island to get there. That was my worst decision so far this year doing these clean-ups.

This is what the interior of the island looks like. Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species has taken over. I started working my way through and before long I realized that something, possibly pollen was falling from the knotweed above me. Whatever it was completely lined my throat and it felt as though someone had poured dry rice down it. I started coughing and quickened my pace out of there. I should have had water on me, but I forgot to pack it. The experience was completely miserable. 

Once out in the channel I saw this right away. I really just wanted to head back to the car at this point, but I pressed on and checked out this debris pile. I pulled what I could from it, much of it was unstable though and after the day I had I thought it best not to push my luck. 

This is what I headed out with. The contractor bag wasn't just trash, there was also a smaller bag of recyclables in it. 

The second round of the day complete and I was done. I will be back to this area to work on the debris pile, but this was all I could do for the time being. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Delaware River: Near Wi Hit Tuk Park (24-June-2016)

I had an errand to run for a family member that took me to Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Before returning home I decided to go down river a bit on the PA side to Wi Hit Tuk Park and do a clean-up on an island in the Delaware. Last year I worked on this site and I am trying to get back to every place I was able to get to last year. 

Before walking out to the island I picked through some strainers and debris piles. In these areas I found almost all of the recyclables of the day. 

After wading out to the island I started spotting washed up Shad. These fish recently left the ocean and traveled up the Delaware to spawn. I think most people are more familiar with Salmon, which make the same kind of journey. Unlike Salmon, not all Shad die after spawning. The ones that do, like those above, help to ad nutrients to the river system and will feed a variety of wildlife.

Plastics bags quickly became the theme of the day. Small and large, they were all over the island.

A Fowler's Toad, the first of the species I have seen this year. How can you tell a Fowler's Toad from an American Toad? Look at the darker spots on the toads back. Fowler's have many warts in each spot, where American Toads only have two or three warts per spot. Isn't that an odd way to determine a species. Often Fowler's are much lighter in color as well, that is not always true though. 

The largest plastic pieces of the day. Most of the bags were found like this as well caught in trees on the islands edge. 

If you decide to go inner tubing on the river, please make sure that you have a tube that can handle the river. I often find discarded pool toys like this that easily pop. If the item is labeled for pool use, please do not take it on the river. Especially if the item pops in a set of rapids you could be putting your life at risk. 

Just over two bags of trash off of the Delaware on this trip. I will be back to this area this coming month and will try my best to get this island cleaned up as best as possible.  

This was it for recyclables. I expected to find more.

Crossing the rocky bank to get to the tree line where most of the trash was caught up, I had two pairs of Killdeer making some noise. Killdeer nest in these rocky areas and they have a very cool way of getting predators away from their nest. The adults fly away from the nest, land and act as if they are injured. If you walk towards them they will fly again and do the same display a little further away. Displays like this could easily draw away a predator like a fox. I have seen this display many times before, but I had never seen a nest. My only intention was to make it to the tree line, I watched my step and too my surprise I actually spotted the nest and it was full...

I know it isn't much of a nest, it is though, the home to these four juvenile Killdeer. This photo was taken with a zoom lens and I kept my distance from them. I also did not stick around long. It was extremely hot and I did not want to stress the parents anymore than I already had by walking through. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Macoby Creek (22-June-2016)

I ended up back down in Montgomery County helping Tyler Sacks with a small construction project. Once the project was complete Tyler and I waded down the Macoby Creek. I think this was my third trip down the Macoby this year and there was trash, but very little. We managed to get further down the creek than either of us have gone before. 

Along the creeks edge there were many of these iridescent Damselflies fluttering about. This is something that is very common throughout Eastern PA, but I don't think most people take the time to notice. Even with their small size, when you take the time to look at them you realize just how spectacular they are.

There was not much wildlife other than insects along the creek, this Northern Watersnake did swim across our path though. I know I have said this before, I am going to again, Northern Watersnakes are not venomous and are often misidentified. If you come across one just leave them be they are beneficial for the environments in which they live. Also, if you do decide to pick one up, most likely it will bite and dedicate on you. Those are the only defenses they have and they use them.

Very little trash, still these are still items that will never travel downstream to the Perkiomen. Thank you Tyler Sacks for helping with this clean-up!

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA