First annual RI ROW Cleanup Day a success

WAKEFIELD, October 15, 2021 – The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), along with its partners Rhode Island Sea Grant (RISG), Save The Bay, and Clean Ocean Access, held the first annual Rhode Island Rights-of-Way Cleanup Day at a number of CRMC rights-of-way and shoreline public access locations all over the state on October 2, 2021.

Volunteers pause at the Atlantic Ave. ROW in Westerly (photo: Save The Bay)

CRMC, Save The Bay, and Clean Ocean Access had staff present at a number of CRMC rights-of-way, as well as other access points around the state. Staff from the CRMC and Rhode Island Sea Grant led the cleanup at the recently-designated Wilson Park CRMC ROW in North Kingstown, and CRMC and Save The Bay staff were also at Public Street CRMC ROW in Providence. Save The Bay spearheaded a cleanup at Atlantic Beach in Westerly, Passeonkquis Cove in Warwick, and the Mount Hope boat ramp in Bristol. Save The Bay’s cleanups were also part of their annual International Coastal Cleanup, and volunteers were encouraged to use Save The Bay’s Clean Swell trash collection app to track the amount and kinds of trash collected. Clean Ocean Access led a cleanup at the Gull Cove Fishing Area in Portsmouth, and at a number of nearby CRMC rights-of-way.

Twenty volunteers helped pick up 85 pounds of trash, including boat parts, chunks of metal, and a small motor, at the Wilson Park CRMC Right-of-Way and boat ramp area in North Kingstown. At Public Street in Providence, 25 volunteers helped clean up 161 pounds of trash, according to Save The Bay. Atlantic Beach in Westerly yielded less trash, 10 pounds collected by four hearty volunteers. At Mount Hope bat ramp and King Phillips Avenue rights-of-way in Bristol, six participants collected an impressive 84 pounds of garbage. And at Passeonkquis Cove in Warwick, 19 people collected 94 pounds of trash.

Clean Ocean Access reported that there were 35 volunteers at the Gull Cove cleanup, including people from the Naval College and Brown University Medical School. A group of about 30 Salve Regina University students volunteered at Marine Avenue in Newport.

In addition to the cleanup, to recognize the official unveiling of the Public Street Right-of-Way and to recognize those integral in its designation, the CRMC, Save The Bay, and the City of Providence held a short ceremony to unveil the ROW signage and thank those partners in the process.