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In April, for the eighth consecutive year, SSA Annapolis staff provided assistance to the Anacostia Watershed Society in their cleanup efforts to celebrate Earth Day. Throughout the day, MDE staff transported participants to and from cleanup sites along the Anacostia River near Bladensburg and Kenilworth Parks in Prince George’s County. MDE staff also helped clean up trash, woody debris, and tires collected along the banks of the river and shared their environmental expertise on the importance of recycling, especially as it relates to the health of the river.
As always, the Anacostia River cleanup effort was a very successful event that brought together governmental, public, and private partners. Collectively, an impressive 1,952 volunteers participated in the Earth Day Cleanup at 26 different locations in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County. Even though SSA staff have noticed a decline in the amount of trash over the past eight years, participants cleaned up 48 tons of trash and debris and 185 tires this year.
In September, MDE staff contributed to a cleanup effort at Quiet Waters Park in Anne Arundel County. As part of its strategic planning retreat, SSA staff spent a good part of the afternoon collecting litter along the trails, removing invasive vegetation, and searching for box turtles for tag-and-release purposes. The environmental work was not only beneficial to the local park but also complemented internal efforts to bolster team spirit and get to know new employees.
MDE would like to thank its employees for their commitment to environmental stewardship and would especially like to acknowledge Shawn Lowman, Jonathan Stewart, Joseph Gay, Billy Evans, Sarah Harvey, and Justin Young for their efforts and dedication in organizing MDE’s participation in the Anacostia watershed cleanup. In addition MDE recognizes Rusty McKay, Niles Primrose, Sarah Harvey, and Marcia Potter for their leadership and assistance during the Quiet Waters Park cleanup.
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