by Matt Konkle
Torque Managing Editor
COAL TOWNSHIP — It sits just off the trail. Hidden in most cases under years of dirt and other debris. Sometimes it wraps around bushes and trees as degrading paper or aluminum. Other times it is larger stuff like television sets, tires, patio furniture.
Trail trash.
Stuff that was carried out into the north central Pennsylvania woods over the course of several decades and dumped, illegally, like so many unwanted toys from Misfit Island.
On a recent Sunday morning, scores of volunteers met up at Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area in Coal Township, Pennsylvania, about 90 minutes northwest of Reading, for the latest Quadratec 50-for-50 Trail Cleanup Initiative, in partnership with Tread Lightly!
“Our 50 for 50 project is a huge initiative and we love that we were able to have the Pennsylvania event right at one of our local off-road parks —Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area,” said Quadratec Content Writer Terry Pritchard. “Jeep Enthusiasts of Eastern Pennsylvania, along with Evolution Jeep Alliance, Quadratec and Power Tank provided the manpower and we were able to pull over three tons of trash off the trails, as well as nearly 100 tires. Just another perfect example of how each person can do their part to make a large impact in a short amount of time.”
Overall, 51 volunteers headed out into the AOAA trail system on a sparkling September weekend morning and pulled 3,125 pounds of trash from the woods, as well as scores of tires, a television set, house flashing, bottles, bags of glass, oil drums, shingles and plenty of other smaller debris.
In all, the effort helped improve about 12 miles of trail.
“For me, ‘Do Your Part’ doesn’t just apply to public lands. Off-road parks in this region of Pennsylvania were originally coal mining land. Cleaning up trash dumped after the mines closed or remaining from mining operations helps return these parks to their natural beauty and increases their enjoyment for all riders and drivers,” said Dave Barker, Tread Lightly! member and event volunteer.
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.
Related Articles:
Quadratec, Tread Lightly ’50-for-50’ Trail Cleanup — Holly Oaks, Michigan
Quadratec, Tread Lightly! ’50-For-50’ Public Land Cleanup — Lansing, West Virginia
Quadratec, Tread Lightly! ’50-For-50' Cleanup — Brooksville, Florida
