Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (Cloca) is looking for 25 volunteers from the Municipality of Clarington to help with the CATS in the Creek cleanup program. It is supported by the Clarington Community Funding Program.
Cloca launched the Conservation Area Trail Stewards (CATS) program in the fall of 2021, with 50 volunteers recruited and trained to support Cloca Conservation Areas’ staff in addressing the littering within our eight Conservation Areas. The CATS program will be expanded into the Clarington community, where garbage accumulation is an issue from seasonal fishing activities along various creek systems. After completing their online (4.5 hours) and on-site (2.5 hours) training, Creek CATS volunteers receive their own CATS kit, including garbage pickers, waste buckets, garbage bags, safety vests, sanitizer, gloves, and other incendiary items. The volunteers visit the designated creek areas a minimum of once a month over the year.
In Clarington, Bowmanville Creek offers the most accessible waters for fishing, and four targeted areas are priority locations for the program:
- Bowmanville Creek Valley
- Valleys 2000 Fish Ladder (Bowmanville Valley Trail)
- Bowmanville West Side Marsh (creek mouth at Lake Ontario)
- Bowmanville Marsh (Port Darlington West Beach Road)
The two coastal wetland areas identified need an alternative method of access as there are no maintained trails. Access would be by kayak, and a local kayak group’s members will be recruited. The Creek CATS volunteers will focus on these sites and collect garbage and litter that will then be picked up by Municipal staff.
The CATS in the Creek program is open only to residents of Clarington. High school students can participate. However, they must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
Register online for the CATS program.