Picking Up Trash for Earth Day 2020 at the Bashakill Marsh
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Picking Up Trash for Earth Day 2020 at the Bashakill Marsh

Earth Day is on April 22nd and so is my birthday. This makes me want to go out and be even more connected with earth. So, each year we try to do something, however small it may be. It makes my heart feel good and we really need it during these quarantine times.

Trash at Basha Kill

Yesterday, we went to the parking lot by Bashakill Vineyards and today we first went to the first parking lot, before the marsh bridge. We followed the path in here that was next to the park signs. It leads to the eagle watching observation tower. And right away I saw a little white in the trees, took my point and shoot Canon SX50 and tried to take a picture. The point and shoot has 50x zoom so I was able to see him it’s just not the best picture. At the observation tower, we also found our first find; an energy drink can.

Afterwords, we followed the path closes to the water which somehow drifts away and merges with other foot trails. There was not a lot of trash along the path but once you go into the wooded area, we found plenty. Some of the items we found include:

  • A heavy piece of concrete covered with marble-like surface
  • Plenty of glass bottles
  • A vintage Pepsi can
  • Shotgun shells
  • Buckshots
  • Yellow Golf Ball
Heavy Stone Trash
Heavy concrete piece of trash
Cleaning bashakill parking lot
This was just the trash we found around the Bashakill parking lot

These were some of the items we found. We also stumbled up in the woods and found a car. It’s falling apart with pieces here and there around it. This car could not fit in the 5 gallon trash can. Afterwords, we were a little lost as to what was the state forest and what was someone’s private property so we went back to the parking lot. Here we picked up the remaining garbage which included:

  • Plastic cups
  • Straws
  • Empty Cigarette Packages
  • Liquor bottle
  • Water bottle
  • Soda bottles

This was a successful Earth Day haul and since we only did 2.74 miles we decided to go back to the Bashakill Vineyard side and take the other path. On this path we only found a plastic long string (danger alert) and a toy bag by the observation deck. This was a 1.75 mile walk.

Third Bashakill Cleaning Spot

After the second shorter walk, we went across the marsh to look for the open field area that takes you to the rail trail. This trail is down the path where the old Antique store is on Route 209. Here, we found a lot of items including:

  • A balloon (my worst enemy)
  • Machete
  • Glass bottles
  • Old glove
  • Crowbar
  • 1 Gallon plastic container
blue Balloon in woods
Blue balloon and plastic bottle

These were just some of the items that we found on this magical trail. The whole time we kept talking about how cool it would have been to be on one of those trains and to see what they saw. If you love birds, this is also the place to be. In the open field that’s by the parking lot, you will see plenty of

  • Gold finch
  • Eastern bluebirds
  • Probably a hawk or two
  • Crows
  • Red Cardinals

I also saw a hawk and a grey heron along the rail trails. Overall, this was a great Earth Day. We found plenty of trash and picked what we could. We plan on coming back and each having a bucket to pick up more garbage that’s on these trails. While all the sides were relatively clean, they could always be better, as in no garbage left on the trails.

cleaning bashakill for earth day 2020
Eastern bluebird couple
Goslings
Geese family

Hiking and Cleaning The Basha Kill Wild Life Center on Earth Day 2020 YouTube Video

Basha Kill Wild Life Center Earth Day 2020 Photo Gallery

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