Volunteers asked to help keep Big Thicket National Preserve clean/NPS

We've all seen it. Trash in national parks. It can range from cigarette butts to plastic bags and styrofoam cups. Most of us pick the trash up and put it in the garbage. But not everyone. That's why the folks at Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas are launching a monthly effort to have folks clean up the park.

The volunteer effort is geared towards cleaning the day-use areas and river access points found throughout Big Thicket, which is located in southeastern Texas. This monthly event will take place on the third Saturday of each month and focus on a different day use each time. Volunteers will meet at 10 a.m. to start with a short safety briefing before the clean-up activities begin, and wrap-up around noon.

For the first monthly clean-up, volunteers met this past Saturday at the Highway 96 launch area on Village Creek, located between Lumberton and Silsbee. This is a heavily used launch area along Village Creek. There have been numerous reports on the preserve’s social media accounts of large amounts of trash being left behind at this location, and that is why the kick-off event for this volunteer program started there. 

If you would like to learn more about these events or about volunteering in general, contact Megan Urban, Big Thicket's volunteer program manager, at 409-951-6725.