We need to all be better stewards of the natural wonders around us

Published 10:12 am Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Next month local volunteers will dedicate a portion of their weekend to help beautify the Oconee River. It’s an effort we should all get behind.

Spearheaded by Keep Milledgeville-Baldwin Beautiful, the cleanup is an annual event, which this year is also a part of KMBB’s Second Saturday Sweep. Every month, KMBB volunteers team up to clean an area of the community on the second Saturday. Next month’s sweep will be much more large-scale as it covers the area of the Oconee River Greenway.

Every year the results of this major cleanup effort are a telling sign. The number of old tires, household garbage and other rubble that is culled from the river is proof that we all can and should do more to keep local waterways clean and cared for.

If we take a moment to think about all the local waters provide — entertainment, tourism, a platform for environmental education and, of course, recreation — we may soon realize why doing our part to preserve and care for this part of nature is so imperative.

From fishing, skiing and tournaments, to swimming, boating and camping, it’s difficult to even imagine this community without the Oconee, one of its most noted characteristics. Next month several hundred boaters will travel down the Oconee as part of a Georgia River Network event aimed at promoting rivers across the state. Baldwin County will be one of the highlights of the two-day boating event, slated for Sept. 17-18. The only effective way to promote the history and culture of the Oconee and its connection to the local area is by preserving and maintaining its beauty and mystique. As the river garners more regional attention through these types of events, making sure the portion that travels through Baldwin County looks its best becomes increasingly important. It should be a concerted effort that’s put into practice each day, not just once or twice a year by a handful of volunteers.

We need to all be better stewards of the natural wonders around us.