VOLUNTEERS REMOVE NEARLY 600 POUNDS OF TRASH FROM L.D.W.F. TRAIL ALONG DAWSON'S CREEK

The first phase of a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) urban trail restoration was completed Saturday, March 29 when over 30 volunteers removed 584 pounds of trash and debris from a hiking trail adjacent to LDWF headquarters on Quail Drive.

The volunteers swept a half square mile of property alongside Dawson's Creek and the edge of the LDWF administrative office complex. The overgrown trail is to be restored for public use with grant funds provided by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. The Office of Wildlife is coordinating the project. 

"We found a television, Christmas lawn decorations, old gas tanks and more," said LDWF Inland Fisheries biologist and volunteer Brac Salyers.  "We wanted to get the trail ready for department and public use and to improve the creek's ecology as well."

Volunteers included LDWF employees and spouses, Boy Scouts Troops 7 and 478, the American Wetland Conservation Corps, Louisiana Hiking Club, Red Stick Fly Fishers and staff from Louisiana State University.

Dawson's Creek runs from South Acadian Thruway to the LDWF Headquarters building and becomes part of the drainage from the University Lakes, flowing into
Ward Creek Diversion Canal.  The canal then becomes Bayou Manchac, eventually feeding into the Amite River and finally Lake Maurepas.
 
LDWF would like to thank all of the volunteers that helped with this important task.  After the success and proven need of this cleanup, the volunteers said they would like to schedule more cleanups in the near future.

For more information, contact Carrie Salyers at 225-763-3557 or csalyers@wlf.louisiana.gov.