FoSBC members Ed Paul, Martin McAllister and Shannon Browning working together to remove an enormous amount of trash from the watershed.
News Release
A Sweep is a canoe float to remove litter from the stream. With our partners Adams Soil and Water Conservation District and Lawrence Scioto Solid Waste Management District the Friends of Scioto Brush Creek, Inc. (FoSBC) has been conducting this event since 2007. Each year approximately 2,000 pounds (1 ton) of trash has been removed from the watershed. This is the 15th SBC Sweep so that amounts to approximately 30,000 pounds of trash removed from the watershed.
The mission of the Friends of Scioto Brush Creek, Inc. is to “maintain and improve the water quality of Scioto Brush Creek through awareness, education, and involvement of the local residents”. The Sweep helps the organization fulfill all 3 objectives of our mission.
Awareness. Through the “hands-on” event participants paddle and experience a section of the watershed receiving first-hand knowledge of the stream’s inhabitants, water quality and the threats that it faces. Natural resource experts and citizens who care about the stream and its flora and fauna share a bond of community serve through their participation in removing litter from the stream. People usually care about what they know and have first-hand knowledge of. The Sweep offers a glimpse into the importance of clean water for not only watershed inhabitants but humans as well. We all need clean water.
Education. Experts in natural resources conservation lead the event each year who are eager to share the important attributes of the Scioto Brush Creek watershed and why it is designated an exceptional warm water habitat in Ohio. What a great opportunity to paddle one of Ohio’s premier streams and engage with knowledgeable naturalists and learn more about this important local resource.
Involvement. We welcome all to participate in our events, whether you live in the watershed or not. We have members and nonmembers who love to participate in the Sweep from throughout the state of Ohio. If you are interested in being part of the solution, I would encourage you to become a member of the FoSBC if you are not already a member. Whether a member or not, for those that are up for a challenge, we would love to have you join us during the Sweep. To sign up for the Sweep
please contact Anita at the Adams Soil and Water Conservation District. You may call (937) 544-1010, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
