Our volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group had a pleasant surprise when we went out to clean the River Taff in the sunshine this weekend, as we struggled to find much rubbish.
18 volunteers turned up at Forest Farm to collect litter from the Taff Trail and adjacent river. But after only an hour of litter-picking, we had cleared litter from a mile-long stretch so turned our efforts to removing some of the overgrown vegetation along the path. After collecting 20 bags of heavy items and hauling them a mile back to the collection point, the volunteers started pulling up the invasive Himalyan Balsam plant which has started to obscure the Taff Trail.
It was lovely to see that this section of the Taff Trail was relatively litter-free. It goes to show that locals appreciate this area and look after it. As so many volunteers turned up, we easily cleared over a mile of trail today which demonstrates that many hands do indeed make light work.
There's a full slideshow of pictures showing the groups's work here.
Our next event will not be quite as straightforward as we move downstream to collect litter that is still trapped in the branches that overhang the River following the winter floods. We are always looking for new helpers... especially those who have access to boats.
Cardiff Rivers Group was formed in 2009 as part of the Tidy Towns project, a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government it supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment.
Cardiff Rivers Group are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact me, Louise Tambini on 07824 504790 or email louise.tambini@keepwalestidy.org.
The groups' next event will be on Sat 26th June when we will be working above Blackweir to collect litter that is trapped in the branches and looks unsightly.
Louise Tambini is a member of the Cardiff Rivers Group.
