Annual Arkansas River Green Up Clean Up & Colorado Public Lands Day.

Volunteers are encouraged to pre sign up for a location at Needs | Volunteers In Action Chaffee County (viachaffee.org).
For those pre-registered with a location, check-in is not necessary unless you are planning to join the picnic or need supplies.

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) are hosting the 31^st Annual Clean Up Green Up in conjunction with Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday May 21.

There will be two volunteer registration/check-in stations from 8:30-9:30am on Saturday at the AHRA Visitor Center in Salida (307 West Sackett) and at the Buena Vista Public Works shop (755 Gregg Dr.) to get supplies and a lunch voucher for the post-clean up volunteer picnic. Volunteers can preselect online or be assigned a location in the Arkansas River drainage between Granite and Cañon City to clean trash and debris to prepare for a busy summer season. The cleanup coincides with the start of spring snowmelt and runoff.

Trash drop off is from 10am-2pm at Vandaveer or BV Public Works or behind the entrance sign at any AHRA-managed site. Trash dumpsters are provided by Waste Management and American Rivers is providing the trash bags for volunteers. AHRA will have a recycling station at Vandaveer Ranch.

A volunteer picnic will be held from noon to 2pm at both Vandaveer Ranch and Buena Vista Public Works. Prizes will be awarded for Largest Piece of Trash and other categories. The City of Salida is also holding the Annual Touch-A-Truck event at Vandaveer Ranch from 10am-2pm.

Clean Up Green Up is in partnership with AHRA, GARNA, Bureau of Land Management, City of Salida, Town of Buena Vista, Salida Parks Open Space & Trails (SPOT) and Trout Unlimited.

AHRA location: 307 W Sackett

BV Public Works location:755 Gregg Dr

Vandaveer Ranch (for Salida picnic): Access on CR 104. Take HWY 50 south of Salida and turn right on CR 104. Park in the designated area.