Miles of Hudson River shoreline to be cleaned during 10th annual Riverkeep Sweep

The initiative spans from Brooklyn all the way to the Adirondacks.

News 12 Staff

May 1, 2021, 3:40 PM

Updated 1,311 days ago

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More than 2,000 volunteers were expected to clean the Hudson River shoreline Saturday as part of the 10th annual Riverkeep Sweep.
The initiative spans from Brooklyn all the way to the Adirondacks.
"The Hudson River is a very special place. We love it, and we love to take care of it. And the great thing about the sweep is it teaches people to care about probably the most major resource we have in the area," said Bob Walters, former founding executive director of the Beczack Environmental Center.
A total of 120 shoreline clean-ups took place Saturday, with more than 30 in Westchester and Rockland counties.
"Today, we're here doing a clean-up of [the Hudson River]. We want to make sure before the summer starts that the community is involved, and we clean up," said Phil Giller of the Yonkers on Hudson Alliance.
In Yonkers, volunteers at the JFK Marina and the Center for the Urban River at Beczack got to work Saturday morning pulling out trash, bottles, furniture, and tires washed up on shore.
"When the community comes together like this and takes initiative to clean up and take care and take pride in the community, it's a beautiful thing to see," said Yonkers City Councilmember Shanae Williams.
The event aims to clear waste and nurture healthy vegetation along the shore. Volunteers of the sweep have completed more than 800 projects, removed 275 tons of debris, and fostered thousands of trees and shrubs.
"The great thing about the sweep is it teaches people to care about probably the most major resource we have in the area," Walters said.
Organizers say the clean-ups started in 2012 as a simple act of service. The project has since turned into a full-blown restoration effort and has impacted statewide legislation in eliminating plastic bag use.