WWALS congratulates Lowndes County on winning a statewide award for their litter crew. We can attest that boat ramps and other public access points to rivers in Lowndes County are much cleaner since the county litter crew has been picking up there weekly, both on the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail and the Alapaha River Water Trail.

We’d also like to thank Lowndes County Public Works for a longstanding agreement that they pick up bagged trash that WWALS leaves at river access points.

Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp: Lowndes County Litter Control 2021-06-10 (Photo: Bobby McKenzie) and WWALS cleanup 2022-12-17 (Photo: Gretchen Quarterman)

Malia Thomas, Valdosta Daily Times, May 15, 2023 Lowndes County honored with 2023 Georgia County Excellence Award for litter program,

VALDOSTA — Lowndes County has been recognized with a 2023 Georgia County Excellence Award for its litter program.

Lowndes County Litter Control at Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp, Photo: Bobby McKenzie, 2021-06-10

Hosted jointly by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Trend magazine, the awards program honors innovative county programs that meet the needs of residents and enhance their quality of life.

Dave Will, ACCG executive director, said the litter program is one of six 2023 Georgia County Excellence Award recipients.

“Each year, the Georgia County Excellence Awards program recognizes innovative county programs that meet the identified and specific needs of residents in those communities. We are grateful to our partner Georgia Trend for this continued partnership which honors counties for their resourcefulness and efficacy,” he said.

In April 2020, Lowndes County addressed the rise of trash along county roads and highways by introducing the Lowndes County Litter Program, county officials said in a statement.

In conjunction with the Lowndes County Public Works Department, the litter program is designed to collect and properly dispose of litter, debris and hazardous materials that have been illegally dumped along Lowndes County roads.

Since the launch, the Lowndes County litter crew has collected more than 16,345 bags of trash from local roadways.

Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter said residents and county officials alike are pleased with the tremendous improvement to the look of the roads.

“Recognition from your peers is always something to be proud of, and we thank ACCG for this honor. The Lowndes County litter program’s efforts have kept our roadways looking beautiful and welcoming to residents and visitors alike,” he said.

Of course, much of this trash problem was caused by the Lowndes County Commission, back when they decided to close the county’s own waste collection centers.

And remember WWALS won the GA-DNR Rivers Alive Adopt-A-Stream award the second year running for river cleanups.

Banners and trash at Clyattville=Nankin Boat ramp, Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, 2022-12-17, 30.6748889, -83.3938494

Including cleanups that no local government does, with boats and sometimes with chainsaws.

For more about the trash situation, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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