Gulfport Renew Our Rivers event more than a clean-up project
As always, this year’s Renew Our Rivers event in Gulfport featured more than 80 volunteers from Mississippi Power and seven other organizations collecting tons of debris from area waterways.
However, tucked away along the banks of the Turkey Creek, another community project tied in with Renew Our Rivers was taking shape that fit right into the themes of environmental stewardship and giving back to the community.
Volunteers from the Gulfport Job Corps, the Climb CDC Conservation Corps and the Land Trust-Mississippi Coastal Plain not only removed trash and debris from the area, but they also built and set up several platforms along the creek for fishing and bird watching.
“A lot of our students are from the area,” said Lisa Floyd-Etiene, an instructor with the Gulfport Job Corps. “They know the value of giving back to the community and the heritage of what Turkey Creek is. Part of vocational training is knowing you have to be a good citizen. This is part of how we do that.”
While that was happening at Turkey Creek, company volunteers and those from the United States Environmental Service, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the Harrison County Sherriff’s Department, Evoqua Water Technologies, What Sup Paddleboards, The Dock restaurant, the Harrison County Beautification Department, Waste Pro and the Institute for Marine Mammals Studies (IMMS) were clearing debris from areas in and along Gulfport Lake, Bayou Bernard and the Industrial Seaway.
For the nine IMMS volunteers, the cleanup was also more about the marine life they care for as well as the environment where they work and play.
“We teach the kids and everyone that comes through the IMMS about conservation and taking care of the environment,” said Denise Reinke, IMMS assistant director of public programs. “As your boating by the shore you normally don’t notice the debris. Today when we got near the shore everyone on our staff noticed how much was there. It’s a big realization for them about environmental stewardship.”
The day’s total of 3 tons of debris added to the 25 tons collected this year during the six other Renew Our Rivers events, including the Sept. 29 cleanup along the Pascagoula River that featured 100 volunteers bringing in 4 tons of debris.
It also added to the quality of life for everyone around Gulfport, especially those who spend time fishing and hiking along Turkey Creek.
“We know how important the platforms are for those who use this area, especially for the elderly who use the area for fishing and bird-watching,” Floyd-Etiene added.
In its 11 years of existence, volunteers with the Renew Our Rivers environmental stewardship campaign have collected more than 315 tons of debris from waterways in and around the service territory.