Hundreds improve Accotink Bay in watershed cleanup

By Andrew Sharbel, Belvoir EagleApril 27, 2010

Hundreds improve Accotink Bay in watershed cleanup
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Members of the Fort Belvoir community teamed up Sunday morning to participate in the 22nd Annual Alice Ferguson Potomac River Watershed Cleanup at Tompkins Basin.

The cleanup, hosted by the Fort Belvoir Directorate of Public Works Environmental and Natural Resources Division, disposed of trash, recyclables and large items that had been dumped in the Accotink Bay.

"The Alice Ferguson Foundation is located in Accokeek, Md., and is a non-profit organization that does a lot of stuff with the environment and organizes this event," Kevin Walter, Belvoir Natural Resources Specialist, said. "We are one of the sites that extend through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and D.C. and we have a site that encompasses the entire shoreline of Belvoir."

Approximately 200 people were grouped into teams of organizations and community groups and spread throughout Belvoir's shoreline to dispose of trash that has accumulated over the past year.

Participating organizations included the Society of American Military Engineers; Cub Scouts; Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Hayfield Secondary School's Leo Club; Belvoir Bowhunters, DPW; Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation and others.

"As far as shoreline, we are probably covering about 5 miles altogether and we will be collecting tires, bottles and cans. We also try to look and see what companies are producing the most trash and that actually goes on record now," Walter said. "Obviously, the top companies are Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser and Deer Park Water."