Dirty dozen: 12 tires pulled from Percival River Nature Reserve during cleanup

Staff from the Nature Conservancy of Canada along with volunteers pulled 12 tires from the Percival River Nature Reserve west of Summerside, P.E.I. on Saturday.

It was part of an annual cleanup.

Percival River Nature Reserve is a haven for migratory shorebirds with extensive salt marshes and surrounding forests.

The nature reserve is just over 500 acres and every year the volunteers findsome unique trash, said Lanna Campbell, the conservancy's program director for P.E.I.

"We found all kinds of different things we found about a dozen tires, so vehicle tires. I'm not sure how those got there," she said.

Debris can endanger wildlife

Campbell said common things found in the area in terms of garbage are rope, pieces of plastic foambuoys and random pieces of plastic. She said it is important to retrieve those materials to protect wildlife.

The cleanup is one of several hands-on conservation events offered by the organization in the Maritimes and one of more than 60 conservation volunteerevents offered across Canada.

There were eight volunteers who joined the two conservancy officials at the P.E.I. event.

"We're always really thankful whenever people come out and they donate their time, their efforts, their energy," Campbell said.

Volunteers are important

It is great for the NCC to have volunteers come out and help the organization with cleanups, said Abigail Pavao, a conservation engagement intern for New Brunswick and P.E.I.

"It gives us and the volunteers a sense of accomplishment, getting to clean up and make a difference in this area," she said.

Pavao also has a tip for people who might tour the area, she said people do go to the reserve and do "their own individual cleanup."

"Have a garbage bag handy in your car, maybe some gloves. And just whenever you see wrappers or trash or debris or something just pick it up along the way," Pavao said.

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