by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
With 900 acres of available water recreation, 59 acres of land and seven miles of shoreline, the Pilot Butte Reservoir attracts plenty of people year-round for fishing, hunting, boating, camping and hiking.
Unfortunately, this also leads to plenty of trash build up as well from all these activities when people decide to make the ground a receptacle instead of responsibly packing out their refuse.
So, several volunteers recently teamed up with the Wyoming Bureau of Reclamation for a cleanup event at the reservoir utilizing one of Quadratec 50-for-50 Trail Restoration Initiative grants.
These volunteers hit three locations around the reservoir and removed 270 pounds of trash from the environment, while also installing four signs to help block unauthorized routes around the area.
“The Bureau of Reclamation is very appreciative of the Tread Lightly! organization’s effort to organize a volunteer cleanup of Federal surface at the Pilot Butte Reservoir in Fremont County, Wyoming,” said Natural Resource Specialist Jay Dallman. “Federal spending authority for direct-managed recreation facilities such as those at Pilot Butte Reservoir is limited and Federal staffing is stretched thin, so volunteer cleanups are an important tool in keeping these areas clean.
”The 2023 cleanup of recreation areas at Pilot Butte Reservoir successfully removed about 270 pounds of trash and litter, helping keep the areas clean and inviting for campers and water sports enthusiasts. We look forward to partnering with Tread Lightly! again on future projects designed to improve outdoor recreation opportunities on Reclamation surface.”
This Pilot Butte Reservoir Cleanup project was the 32nd of 50 trail and public land restoration events Quadratec will help sponsor in each state by April 2024.
So far through its supported projects, the 50-for-50 Stewardship Grant has accumulated 5,980 volunteer hours with a total value of $179,050, pulled away 104,035 pounds of trash and improved 730 miles of trail.
Quadratec’s ’50-for-50’ stewardship grant fund helps project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage and other miscellaneous costs.
Quadratec has been a supporting partner of Tread Lightly! for more than 20 years, and a longtime fundraiser for Tread Lightly!’s stewardship programs. The company has also promoted Tread Lightly! and other trail restoration efforts through its Quadratec Cares ‘Energize the Environment’ program.
Clubs and individuals are required to be active, supporting members of Tread Lightly! to be eligible to apply for ’50-for-50’ grant funding. To learn more about the Quadratec ’50-for-50 program, visit Quadratec's 50 for 50 Trails Stewardship Grant Initiative.
Recommended Reading:
Quadratec, Tread Lightly! ’50-For-50’ Public Land Cleanup — Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Quadratec's 50 State, 50 Trail Stewardship Initiative Reaches Halfway Mark
