Who's been cleaning the Nashua River?

I went out this weekend and completed the stretch between Rt. 117 and the Still River Depot at the Oxbow. And when I say completed, I mean if I can see it, get to it, and transport it, I take it out of there. So there are no more bottles, cans, tires, propane tanks, spray paint cans, or solvents. I even removed a 5-gallon bucket of paint, and the last gallon of used motor oil. In short, no human waste except for maybe 2 very large items I cannot possibly transport on a kayak. And I intend to keep it that way.

On Sunday, I ran into a nice couple who were probably about 60 years old. They asked what I was doing, and then the man shared a nice story with me. A few years ago he used to paddle in the Oxbow area, but he was so disgusted by the trash and pollution that he stopped. When he came back a month or so ago, he was very surprised how clean it was. I shared with him how I'd been working on it for more than 2 years now, and probably have removed more than 10 tons of waste. He was very appreciative, and I believe he'll be coming back more regularly now.

The woman said "Why don't you join a group?" I told her groups might undertake some of the legal battles to protect an area from development, but when it comes right down to getting your hands dirty and cleaning up a mess, groups don't do anything.