This even has been cancelled.
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Mammoth Cave National Park will be hosting a river cleanup event on September 14 as part of the 9/11 National Day of Service, inviting volunteers to help remove litter from sections of the Green and Nolin Rivers. This effort, while symbolically tied to honoring the spirit of national service post-9/11, also carries critical ecological importance.
Maintaining water quality in river systems like those at Mammoth Cave is essential for preserving both the environment and public health. Clean water supports biodiversity, with freshwater ecosystems playing a vital role in filtering pollutants, controlling floods, and providing habitats for numerous species. However, mismanagement and pollution have put these ecosystems under severe threat globally.
Rivers are often affected by agricultural runoff, urban development, and industrial pollution, which introduce excessive nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, into the water. These excess nutrients can lead to harmful algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and the disruption of aquatic ecosystems, endangering both wildlife and human communities that rely on these water resources.
The river cleanup not only helps to beautify the park but also works toward mitigating these risks by removing harmful waste that can leach chemicals into the water. Volunteers will have a direct impact on improving water quality, which benefits not only the flora and fauna of the park but also the larger ecological network dependent on the waterways.
Volunteers will need prior canoeing or kayaking experience, as the cleanup covers either an 8-mile or 12-mile section of the river. This effort is made possible through partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits, providing canoes, kayaks, and other essential equipment for the day’s activities.
A limited number of event t-shirts, sack lunches, and recognition items will be available by the Friends of Mammoth Cave to the first several participants that register at Volunteer.gov. The Friends work in cooperation with the National Park Service to support projects and programs that protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources, and the visitor experience at Mammoth Cave National Park.
For a full details and to register for this volunteer opportunity, visit Volunteer.gov. For all other event questions, please contact MACA_VIP@nps.gov or call 270-758-2158.
