Cville Litter Pickers and the Rivanna Trails Foundation are teaming up for a joint cleanup of the Free Bridge river corridor — the riverbanks, the wooded area along Zero East High Street, and the network of local trails running through it. We'll be hauling out trash and debris that goes straight into the Rivanna the next time the water comes up.
Open to volunteers from both organizations and to anyone in the community who wants to lend a hand. All equipment provided.
What we're doing
The corridor between Free Bridge and Zero East High sits in the Rivanna floodplain. Trash that collects here doesn't stay here — every high-water event moves it downstream. Some of it is roadside and parking-area litter that has washed down over the years, some of it is dumped material, and some of it is debris left behind at the encampment site, which the City closed in early September. We're addressing all of it, together, in one day.
Work will focus on:
- The riverbank and floodplain along the Free Bridge access
- The wooded buffer at Zero East High
- The local trail network through the corridor, including informal side paths
- Bulk and dumped items flagged during our advance site walk
Our role starts and ends with what's on the ground. This is a debris-removal operation on a site that is now vacant, and our scope is that debris and where it ends up when the river rises.
How we work this site
A few ground rules, and we hold to them:
- We remove waste, not belongings. The site has been closed and cleared through the City's process, but if you come across personal documents, ID, photographs, or medication, don't bag it. Flag a crew lead. That gets handled separately, not thrown away.
- No photography of sleeping sites or personal effects. Our usual before-and-after photos are limited to debris piles, landscape views, and volunteers at work. No exceptions on this one.
- We're here for the litter, not the litterer. That's how Cville Litter Pickers operates everywhere. It applies here without qualification.
Volunteer safety
This site carries more risk than a typical roadside cleanup, and we're staffing and briefing accordingly.
- Age minimum: 16 with a guardian. Unlike most of our events, this one is not family-friendly.
- Sharps are present at this site. Do not pick up needles. Do not move material that could conceal one — that includes bedding, clothing piles, and collapsed shelters. Flag a crew lead. Trained volunteers carry sharps containers and handle recovery.
- Closed-toe boots, long pants, and long sleeves are required. Gloves are provided, but bring your own heavy work gloves if you have them.
- Uneven ground, steep banks, poison ivy, and wasps. Watch your footing near the water.
- Everyone attends the safety briefing. No exceptions, including experienced volunteers.
Anything hazardous, unidentified, or beyond our scope gets flagged and routed to the appropriate agency. Volunteers don't handle it.
What to bring
- Water — more than you think
- Closed-toe boots and long pants
- Work gloves, if you have a pair you like
- Sunscreen and bug spray
Parking: please pull past the Rivanna River Company customer parking to the Cville Litter Pickers signage.
