Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center holds weekend Riverfront Cleanup

The Conservation Nature Center brought the community together to do their part in helping to keep the Mississippi River clean this past weekend.

The center held the Riverfront Cleanup on Saturday afternoon at Riverfront Park in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The litter pickup was open to all ages, with free T-shirts, snacks and drinks provided throughout the day.

Naturalist Angela Pierce led the efforts, with several City of Cape Girardeau employees joining to pitch in to pitch out the trash, as well as volunteers from the Southeast Missouri State University and local community, she said.

Pierce said she and the volunteers met at the Broadway entrance of Riverfront Park and made their way along Water Street picking up trash.

Volunteers help pick up trash during the Conservation Nature Center's Riverfront Cleanup along Riverfront Park on Saturday in downtown Cape Girardeau.Brooke Holford

"A few people actually saw us walking with our shirts and bags and asked what we were doing and when I told them, they asked if they could tag along and help," Pierce said. "It just showed how much people really enjoy seeing our river and local riverfront clean."

Pierce said this was the first riverfront cleanup the Conservation Nature Center has held in a couple of years.

"We really appreciate people taking the time out of their day to pick up trash and keep the river clean," Pierce said. "Not only does it help the people here, but it also helps keep the animals in and around the river safe and healthy."

The riverfront cleanups are held as a part of the Missouri Department of Conservation Stream Team program, she said, which "aims to promote healthy waterways by picking up litter and keeping waterways clean."

For more information on the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, or to view upcoming cleanups and events held by the center, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/cape-girardeau-conservation-nature-center.