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Volunteers needed for Tres Rios Wildlife Refuse cleanup - February 20th

Volunteers needed for Tres Rios cleanup in Southwest Valley

The call is out for volunteers to help in the First Annual – Tres Rios Nature & Earth Festival cleanup.

Tres Rios, in the Southwest Valley, is touted as a wildlife sanctuary encompassing the confluence of the Salt, Gila and Agua Fria rivers. It includes the 200-acre Base and Meridian Wildlife Area. The sanctuary has been threatened by litter and illegal activities.

Feb. 20 is spring-cleaning day.

The cleanup runs from 7 a.m. until about 11 a.m.

Volunteers will meet at Phoenix International Raceway, 7602 S. Avondale Blvd., in Avondale.

The raceway is five miles south of Interstate 10 at the end of Avondale Boulevard. This year, the cleanup is hosted by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Avondale, Goodyear, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation.

Volunteers should bring gloves, sunscreen and sunglasses. Wear a hat, work clothes and work boots, and dress appropriately for the weather.

The County Attorney's Office will hand out bottled water, hand sanitizer, garbage bags and commemorative T-shirts.

The wildlife refuge and riverbanks have long suffered from illegal shooting and fishing and unrestrained littering. The area is home to cottonwood, willow, salt cedar, seep willow and other plants that thrive in riparian areas. Animals such as hawks, osprey, peregrine falcons, desert tortoise, beavers, bobcats and javelina live in the area.

In October, County Attorney Andrew Thomas created a partnership of local, county and state agencies to battle the trashing of the riparian refuge. Under his plan, polluters would be prosecuted and other measures would be taken to restore the endangered riparian refuge.

The partnership is creating signs to warn against illegal activities. Helping in the annual cleanup is part of the plan. Tom Matheson of Goodyear has frequented the area for years and has participated in previous Tres Rios cleanups.

This year will be no different. Matheson, who visits the area once or twice a week, wants to see a sustained effort to keep the area clean and free of illegal activities. Off-road vehicles are multiplying the damage, he said. "We need trash barrels that are secured so they aren't moved and stolen, both of which have happened," he said. "The barrels should be secured in place and picked up by Game and Fish on a regular basis."

 • For information on the cleanup or to register your group, call Avondale Recreation Services at 623-333-2416, e-mail cunderhill@avondale.org, or go to http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/ and click on "Tres Rios Cleanup 2010."

• For information on the Tres Rios Nature & Earth Festival March 6-7, go to http://www.tresriosnaturefestival.com/.

• For directions, go to www.tresriosnaturefestival.com/directions.htm. Touted as a wildlife sanctuary, Tres Rios encompasses the confluence of the Salt, Gila and Agua Fria rivers and includes the 200-acre Base and Meridian Wildlife Area. The riparian habitat is near Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale.

 http://www.azcentral.com/community/surprise/articles/2010/02/10/20100210swv-avontresrios0210.html

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