Clark County Wetlands Park is participating in International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19. The Park’s volunteers will be picking up litter and trash from the vicinity of the Las Vegas Wash. The program is part of an international effort spearheaded by the Ocean Conservancy to reduce the amount of trash in the world’s oceans and waterways.
Trash will be collected by volunteers, weighed, and added to a global database created for the month-long International Coastal Cleanup Campaign.
The Las Vegas Wash is an urban river that flows through the Park and delivers water used in the Las Vegas Valley to Lake Mead, the primary source of the valley’s drinking water. Rain events and urban runoff pick up trash and litter in the valley and carry it through drainage channels. Unfortunately, much of this trash can get caught in the banks and vegetation lining the Wash within Wetlands Park. Picking up the trash and litter in the Park can be a daunting task, but the dedicated team of stewardship volunteers are up to the challenge.
“The trash that flows into the park from runoff is unsightly and damaging to the area’s ecosystem,” said Commissioner “Tick” Segerblom. “Each time it rains, we get new additions of trash. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we will be making a small, but important contribution to cleaning the park, protecting our wildlife and providing the best experience for our visitors.”
The cleanup event is part of the Park’s Wetlands: Hands On! program which had to be modified this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “While we normally invite members of the public to help with these events, in order to maintain safe practices during the pandemic, we have limited the event to Clark County Stewardship Volunteers,” said Daniel Hernandez, Clark County Parks and Recreation Director. “We will be working to accommodate small groups who wish to contribute to cleaning up the Park on a case by case basis, with approved added safety protocols. Groups that are interested in scheduling stewardship projects should contact us at wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov to inquire about availability.” While clean-up events are helpful, everyone can do their part to Keep Clark County Clean by disposing of trash properly before it can get into the Wash and the Wetlands Park.
At 2,900 acres, Clark County Wetlands Park is one of the largest urban wetlands in the Southwest and serves as a popular destination for hikers and bird watchers. More than 300 species of birds and 70 species of mammals and reptiles have been spotted in the park, including beavers, coyotes, bobcats and snakes. The park features more than 20 miles of trails, including six miles within the Nature Preserve. The telephone number for Clark County Wetlands Park is (702) 455-7522. Nature Center Auditorium and Restrooms are open Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. The Nature Store, Picnic Café, and Exhibit Hall are currently closed. Outdoor hours in the park are dawn to dusk. It is recommended that visitors wear sunscreen, hats with a wide brim, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and bring plenty of water when walking the trails.
Information about the park’s is available on its website pages at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov. You also can like Clark County Wetlands Park on Facebook and follow the park on Twitter and Instagram at CCWetlandsPark.