Annual Winton Woods Community Cleanup slated for this weekend
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Updated: 8:09 AM EDT Apr 9, 2021
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Updated: 8:09 AM EDT Apr 9, 2021
Dozens of Great Parks volunteers will pick up litter to beautify Winton Woods during the annual Winton Woods Cleanup on Saturday. This year’s cleanup is a series of small, socially distanced mini-projects at 11 separate areas in the 2,555-acre park, with each project limited to 20 participants. Although individual groups will be small, the total number of volunteers for the day will create the largest day of volunteering at Great Parks in more than a year. The Winton Woods Cleanup welcomes new volunteers every year. Many of them enjoy it so much that they return again and again, such as longtime volunteer Greg Bechtel. “Great Parks is outstanding for giving us the opportunity to do these sorts of outdoor activities, like a walk in the woods or joining a public service event,” said Bechtel, who lives in Sharonville. “The Winton Woods Cleanup allows you to be part of a larger group doing good for the community, with some fun education included, too.” In addition to the Winton Woods Cleanup, Bechtel and members of the Ohio River Foundation have partnered with staff at Great Parks Adventure Outpost in years past for more intensive cleanups, pulling a number of surprising things out of Winton Lake. “We’ll find plenty of drink bottles and chip bags, but we’ve also found bigger things, like a large spool of steel wire, shopping carts and even a picnic table that floated into the lake on some high water,” he said. “It’s rewarding to pull them out and make the park more enjoyable for everyone.” Although waterborne projects are currently on hold and participants are not able to physically paddle onto Winton Lake as part of any cleanups now, they will find plenty of debris around the perimeter of the lake. Many do not realize that the smaller “micro-trash” is just as important to remove because it is often ingested by wildlife. The Winton Woods cleanup has been taking place for more than 30 years. This year, volunteers will follow physical distancing recommendations while observing health protocols. Masks will only be required during the outdoor event if people are in close proximity to each other. Online registration is available here.