Today: Nov 03, 2024

Working with West River Watershed Coalition

By Jay’Mi Vazquez and Carly Russell 

Managing Editor and Photo Editor


On Friday, Oct. 25, students and faculty met again with the West River Watershed Coalition to work on cleaning up the trails and forested area alongside Beaver Brook. The WRWC is a volunteer group that works to clean up green spaces in and around New Haven. This is one of several events they have held to clean up this area. The longterm goal for the area surrounding Beaver Brook is to clean it up and create trails, turning the area into a park.

Stephanie FitzGerald, a volunteer with the WRWC, said they want to open up the space for university students and the New Haven community as a whole. 

Professor Jason Smith, who had reached out to the WRWC to partner with them for this event, said the turnout at this event was good. 

“I see this event as a way to give back to beautify an area adjacent to campus that we all see every day and do not think much about. It’s also a way to have students get together outside of class and build a way of friendship and common experience,” Smith said.

Smith added that if more people collectively acted on creating environmental change, then there will be significant improvements made. 

FitzGerald said she thinks the benefit of this event for students is, “hopefully they see something they haven’t seen before and see the possibilities and will continue to do this kind of work.”

Photos | Lily Rand
Stephanie FitzGerald, a member of the WRWC, explains to volunteers the work they will be doing.
Volunteers dividing tools and resources, splitting up to remove litter and clear trails. 
Physics major Scarlet Dombek, a freshman, picking up litter along a soon-to-be trail. 

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