Update 2022-04-11: Still there: Two acres of trash on Valdosta City land at VLPRA HQ, above One Mile Branch 2022-03-09.

Way up near the top of One Mile Branch, trash is all over about two acres of woods at the corner of Barack Obama Blvd. and Ricardo Street. Behind the Pepsi Adopt-A-Spot sign. Just south of VLPRA HQ. On land owned by the City of Valdosta.

Ricardo St., Obama Ave, VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch

Good intentions built this Adopt-A-Spot sign at the corner of Ricardo and Obama, but apparently did not maintain the spot.

Adopt-A-Spot, Ricardo St. at Barack Obama Blvd.

Kelli Hernandez, Valdosta Daily Times, Jul 27, 2006, Updated Sep 12, 2014, Adopt-a-Spot preparations begin,

VALDOSTA — A strategic plan to address and combat environmental issues affecting Valdosta communities is under way, and local youth are at the heart of the project.

Community members, business leaders and local organizations met Tuesday evening to plan, coordinate and allocate resources for the kick-off of the Valdosta Block Club’s Adopt-a-Spot, Sow-a-Seed Program. Councilman James Wright is spearheading the initiative and stated that the meeting was a success and that the group is going to have the opportunity to learn a lot from the first adopted spot, which will be at Forrest and Fry Streets. This location will be revitalized with trees and flowers being planted with new irrigation systems, helping control erosion on the streets and sidewalks. The group hopes to be able to have a street light installed as well.

This program, started by Wright in March, is a community-based environmental training program and will incorporate physical and financial training to area youth in an effort to create safe and vibrant neighborhoods throughout Valdosta. The program is expected to assist in long-term efforts to build vibrant, healthy and sustainable communities….

Perhaps the program lapsed when James Wright died less than three years later. John Stephen, Valdosta Daily Times, Jan 2, 2017, Former councilman James Wright dies,

…Outside of City Council, Wright was active in several local organizations and clubs, including the Lowndes County chapter of the NAACP, Valdosta Project Change, the Better Neighborhood Housing Corporation, the Georgia Alliance for Tobacco Prevention and the Valdosta Block Club Federation.

“I can’t explain why I do all of this,” Wright told The Valdosta Daily Times in 2005. “I have a strong desire to do it and it gives me a sense of satisfaction, like it is something I am meant to do….

Next to Ricardo St.

Next to Obama Blvd.

Liter containers

Drain towards Onemile Branch

All this trash is a brief stroll from VLPRA headquarters.

VLPRA, 1901 Barack Obama Ave.

According to the Lowndes County Tax Assessors maps, the City of Valdosta owns both the trashed property and the VLPRA HQ immediately to its north.

Map: VLPRA parcels

On this aerial map, you can see what looks like a drainage ditch running due west behind the houses on the north side of Ricardo Street, heading to One Mile Branch, just upstream from Vallotton Park.

Map: VLPRA HQ and Vallotton Park in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Zooming farther out, you can see downstream on One Mile Branch is Drexel Park, VSU, and Sugar Creek, which flows into the Withlacoochee River.

VLPRA HQ, One Mile Branch, Sugar Creek, Withlacoochee River

Seems like the City of Valdosta should do something about this trash midden on land owned by the City of Valdosta.

Thanks to Bobby McKenzie for finding this problem and sending these pictures.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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