Village Seeking Volunteers for River Sweep Day

from the Village of Lisle

The 21st Annual River Sweep will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012 from 9 a.m. to noon. The is coordinating this area’s event, assisted by the and volunteer, Al Zubenko. Volunteers are needed to clean portions of the East Branch of the DuPage River and Rott Creek in and .

Volunteers will remove litter and debris in and near the streams. They will also remove buckthorn, garlic mustard and other invasive plants in the woods around Rott Creek. Volunteers are urged to bring clothes appropriate for the day's weather, sunscreen, and work gloves or waders if available. They may also bring canoes or kayaks. Volunteers need to register at www.theconservationfoundation.org to ensure adequate supplies are available. Volunteers should meet at the picnic shelter located just east of the Lisle Park District Community Center at 1825 Short Street (adjacent to Sea Lion Park’s east parking lot). The Conservation Foundation will provide bottled water and a small snack to all who participate.

Since its inception in 1991, approximately 8,200 River Sweep volunteers have removed nearly 210 tons of solid waste from DuPage County streams. This annual event is organized by The Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit land and watershed protection organization dedicated to preserving open space and natural lands, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of the environment in northeast Illinois.

“The East Branch of the DuPage River and Rott Creek are two streams that run through the heart of Lisle, through our public places. The cleanup efforts by community volunteers make a big difference for these streams. It’s a great family activity, and it only takes a few hours of time,” said Mary Lou Kalsted, the Village of Lisle’s area coordinator for the event.