On Saturday, May 18, The Conservation Foundation held a river sweep of the DuPage River. Starting early at 9:00 a.m, a flock of volunteers descended upon the DuPage River in an attempt to clean up the river’s banks. Participants trekked along the banks of the river, collecting trash and litter from the river and surrounding land. The clean up was run by the The Conservation Foundation and organized by community organizer Janus Roehll. The first cleanup was held in 1991 and has been a tradition for 28 years. This year, 500 volunteers came to help with the cleanup, but they have numbered as high as 800 in past years.

Last year the group collected nine tons of trash from the river in one day.  The cleanup provides an opportunity for many different groups to help keep the river clean. From Boy Scout troops to the League of Women Voters, a diverse group of volunteers have been attracted to the cleanup, hoping to contribute to clearing up the river.

The Conservation Foundation holds many other events to help clean the rivers and to restore the natural environment. Although the river sweep is only held yearly, interested volunteers can also sign up for many other conservation activities. The Adopt-a-Stream program allows volunteers to take responsibility for a section of river and keep it clean.  Volunteers can also help remove invasive species in restoration projects.