COG Clean-up Day (Creek Version) – Saturday, June 17, 2023
Dear COG members and volunteers:
On Saturday June 17th at 8:00am we will be having a property clean-up day. The focus of this clean-up day is to deal with a creek bed that lies on our east most boundary of the property. For the past 20 years the creek bed has become overgrown with weeds, reeds, cat tails, trees, and thicket. It has become so overgrown that water no longer flows down the creek bed but saturates laterally making the whole area and our neighbor’s property swamp-like, dangerous, and a mess. We need to clear it out and restore the natural flow of the creek bed.
Unfortunately, due to these conditions continuing over many years and the natural topography of the terrain, the grounds are so saturated no big machinery can make it through this area very easily, so the work all needs to be done by hand. There will be lots of hand pulling and raking, some shoveling and weed whipping to clear back the growth. Work has already started on this project so we know that the area is very wet and muddy and stinky due to the organic buildup in the soil. People coming out to work on Saturday should wear clothes that they don’t mind getting dirty or possibly throwing away afterwards. Pants, long sleeve shirts, crummy shoes, work gloves would be my recommendation for clothing to wear. If you have swamp boots or hip waders, those work best. The bottom of the creek is very muddy and may claim your shoe if you are not careful, so please bring an extra set of shoes/ clothes to change into afterwards. We will work in small groups to cut the brush out, rake it onto tarps, drag it out of the creek bed and clear as much brush as we can.
We will meet at 8:00am at COG (14719 W. 163rd street) on Saturday and then head over to the creek bed by 8:20. We have some tools on site, but if you feel more comfortable with your own tools, that’s fine too. Heavy duty sickles or machetes have been working, brush cutters, and heavy-duty rakes are also working. Chainsaws or pull saws have helped when we have downed trees blocking the creek. Heavy duty tarps to drag the brush onto so we can drag it to another area of the property away from the creek.
I know this all sounds intense and not a lot of fun, but we will make the most out of the day. With enough volunteers and time we will get through this project. Hope to see you on Saturday.
Bill Bavirsha
COG Property and Grounds Chair