A community’s perception of their river had to be changed before they believed it was worth the effort to clean it up. Tune in to the tale:
Canoeing is now a popular activity on the Lackawanna River! (via Federal Highway Administration)
The Lackawanna River in Pennsylvania was once a dumping ground for coal waste and sewage.
Mcgurl: “Oh, it was a dirty place! It was not some place you wanted to go to have fun.”
That’s Bernie McGurl of the Lackawanna River Conservation Association.
Eventually the mining companies shut down and sewer treatment plants sprang up, but the damage to the river’s reputation had already been done.
McGurl says people saw the river as a dumping ground. So the conservation association invited the community to help clean up the trash, plant trees, and build trails.
Today, people fish, kayak, and bike in and along the river, proving communities can come together to restore natural treasures.
Hear More:
Bernie Mcgurl describes some of the projects happening on the river now that it’s been cleaned up.
Get Schooled:
- Read up on the original Lackawanna River Conservation Plan
- Get acquainted with the Lackawanna River with this guide from the LRCA
- Learn all things Lackawanna on LRCA’s website
The Fine Print:
- This segment was produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, and made possible by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
