Cleaning up Carmi forests

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Penticton's forests are being used as dumping grounds, and this Saturday, the community will clean up the mess.

Every year, the South Okanagan Trail Alliance, in partnership with the Upper Carmi Neighborhood Association conduct an illegal trash site cleanup in Penticton's Carmi Beaverdell Road area.

"We get far too many [people] that think the forest is a place to drop their trash," said Andrew Drouin, president of the local trails club. "Our group, the South Okanagan Trail Alliance has a partnership agreement with the Crown to build trails on our section of land, Carmi Beaverdell Road, so we pay specific attention to that area."

They will be using heavy duty equipment, like Bobcats and loaders to remove the garbage, according to Drouin.

"We take away thousands of pounds," he said. "It's not going to be people walking around with garbage bags, it's going to be people showing up with flat decks, Bobcats and method loading tons of garbage onto flat deck trailers."

It's ignorant people looking to save $20 at the landfill, said Drouin. The garbage left by people at the Carmi Beaverdell Road area is a large assortment.  

"Everything you can imagine from microwaves, fridges, stoves, household garbage and everything in between," he said.

The event will start at 10:00 a.m. on July 22, at Garnet Fire Interpretive Centre parking lot. The community is invited to join in and help make the forests "beautiful again."

Make sure to bring gloves, appropriate footwear, a rake, bug spray and water.