EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Building and Zoning partnered with Heartlands Conservancy and Illinois American Water to host a volunteer day of service at Arlington Wetlands in Pontoon Beach in honor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
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The cleanup at Arlington Wetlands is part of a larger, on-going effort to preserve and protect natural lands and communities within Madison County.
“These cleanups are just the beginning of our new focus on Clean Communities and volunteer opportunities to support a cleaner, more beautiful Madison County,” Building and Zoning Administrator Chris Doucleff said.
Doucleff said volunteers at Arlington Wetlands picked up trash and removed invasive species from the area in preparation for a prescribed prairie restoration burn later this winter. He said volunteer hours spent at the site help Heartlands Conservancy fulfill a Community Challenge Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
“Once 400 volunteer hours are accumulated, Heartlands will receive $4,000 for site improvements,” Doucleff said.
The property is one of the many stewardship sites that will hold reoccurring volunteer days on the first Friday of every month throughout the year. Anyone interested in participating in a community cleanup or resources for organizing one of their own can reach out through the Madison County Clean Communities Facebook page or by emailing recycling@co.madison.il.us.
The nationally recognized MLK Day of Service spurred other grass roots community groups to participate in service to their communities, including Trash Tag Challenge in Alton among others.
“Opportunities like these provide Madison County residents the chance to get outside in nature while helping their local neighborhoods,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said.
For additional information about Madison County Clean Communities, please email recycling@co.madison.il.us.
