Keeping Cape Breton clean
Group not forgetting shorelines during COVID-19, needing volunteers for safe cleanup today at Schooner’s Pond in Donkin
DONKIN — The president of the Cape Breton Environmental Association is appealing to the public to volunteers for today’s safe cleanup of Schooner Pond in Donkin.
“COVID has really impacted our volunteers,” said Dylan Yates. “People are a bit more wary to come out now.”
Yates said they try to clean that shoreline at least twice a year as it’s a significant shoreline for all different types of birds.
“It’s a really nice spot to go and birdwatch,” he said. “It’s a bad spot for garbage though, fishing gear, plastics and household things. We find spatulas and weird things like doll heads. Tires (are) another thing we find quite a bit of too.”
The cleanup will run from noon until 2 p.m. and social distancing will be practised.
Yates said they contacted Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer Dr. Robert Strang for permission to continue to host their cleanups.
“They were okay with it as long as people practise social distancing when they come out,” he said.
Yates said it’s a large area so there’s lots of space to do that. There will be no interaction, supplies will be available for people to access – including hand sanitizers and gloves — when they get there. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality Solid Waste department is providing bags and pick up of the garbage.
People can just grab a bag, fill it up and leave it there when they are done.
“It’s not high-risk, there’s so much room on the shoreline,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a good day and we’ll get a lot of people.”
The Cape Breton Environmental Association formed three years ago. Yates said they do cleanups in many areas including downtown Glace Bay. Once the grass starts to grow it’s harder to find litter so they usually switch to shorelines about mid-july.
“It’s a good way to get outside and free the mind, reconnect with nature,” Yates added.
Schooner Pond is located off the Schooner Pond Road in Donkin.