FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2014

For More Information:
Glenville State College
Public Relations Department
(304) 462-4115

GLENVILLE, WV - Students from Dr. Ross Conover's Ecology and Field Biology class, and other Glenville State College volunteers, spent nine wet hours hauling trash out of the Little Kanawha River recently. Members of the self-proclaimed 'Little Kanawha Navy' removed trash and debris from this section of the river last year as well.

"I was leery about cleaning this same stretch of river that we so thoroughly cleaned 12 months ago because I didn’t think we’d find much, but we actually pulled out even more trash than last year!” said Conover who serves as an Assistant Professor of Biology at GSC. Some of the removed items included: 73 tires, bicycles, gas tanks, pool liners, plastic and metal pipes and tubing, various car parts, trash cans, fiberglass items, aluminum cans and plastic bottles, a computer, numerous pieces of rusted metal, a vacuum cleaner, plastic fan, inner tubes, a 55 gallon steel drum, and numerous other items.

While cleaning, the class saw River Otter slides, ate some native Paw Paws and observed Belted Kingfishers, freshwater snails and clams, crayfish, and other wildlife species.

Students who assisted with the effort included: Brock McClung of Point Pleasant, Adam Ramsey of Burnsville, Seth Doss of Marlinton, Maren Wentzel and Justin Stark from Weston, Steven Miller of Tioga, Brandon Collins of Winfield, Jonathan Rhodes of Le Roy, and Chad Ingram of Moundsville.

"This river cleanup is a little something we can do to help the environment around Glenville. Although it was a ton of hard work and took a whole day, it is something we can look back on and feel good about for a long time," said Doss.

"I had a lot of fun floating the river and picking up trash even though it ended up being a lot of work. After seeing the amount of trash that we gathered it definitely puts into perspective how much we need to work on preserving the environment. I'll no longer leave cans in the back of my truck, giving them the chance to blow out," said Collins.

"All in all it was a fun and rewarding day; getting to be on the river with everyone, seeing all of the wildlife, and cleaning up a pretty area," said Wentzel.

"It is especially rewarding to know that many nonnative objects have been removed from the river, and that plant, animals, and forms of aquatic life are able to begin utilizing their habitat with less disruption," said Ramsey.

Their cleanup effort was supported again this year by Mountain State Waste, which donated a dumpster and professional services. The Glenville State College High Adventure Program and Boy Scout Troop 39 of Grantsville, West Virginia donated canoes. Scout Leader Larry Baker, who is also an Associate Professor of Physical Science at GSC, helped facilitate the use of the troop's canoes.

For more information, contact Conover at Ross.Conover@glenville.edu or (304) 462-6313.