Original Article By Pat Healey – September 8, 2021
Read at https://thelaker.ca/video-photos-volunteers-help-sweps-clean-up-blacks-brook/

Last month, SWEPS organized a community cleanup at Black’s Brook, a small waterway running alongside Lockview High School in Fall River. The event drew more than 25 volunteers, including local residents and students, all working together to remove trash from the brook and surrounding area.

Black’s Brook is a well-used green space that had become cluttered with litter and debris. With sunny weather on their side, volunteers collected multiple bags of garbage, helping restore the area for both the community and the health of the watershed.

Among the more unusual finds was a large gym wall pad, likely from a school or sports facility, which had lodged in the brook and was partially blocking water flow. It took a team of volunteers to remove it safely, allowing the stream to run more freely again.

The cleanup was one of several hands-on stewardship activities led by SWEPS throughout the year to protect water quality and improve local habitats. Events like these also provide a chance to educate youth and residents about the importance of watershed health right in their own backyard.