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DRBC Cares for Its Communities: Staff Volunteer to Clean Up Palmyra Cove Nature Park

While the main efforts of DRBC staff are focused on managing and protecting the shared interstate waters of the Delaware River Basin, they also care about helping out in our local communities. Last week, DRBC staff volunteered their time to clean up a portion of the Delaware River shoreline in Palmyra Cove Nature Park, a 250-acre park located at base of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge (on the N.J. side).

While Palmyra Cove is not a unit of the National Park Service (NPS), this cleanup was held on the NPS’ 100th birthday. Staff felt that this was a fitting way to celebrate the NPS Centennial, helping beautify an urban park that includes tidal river shoreline. Palmyra Cove also features freshwater tidal cove, wetlands, woodlands, and meadows and is popular for hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching.

Despite the summer's heat and humidity, the DRBC team enjoyed working to clean up Palmyra Cove’s shoreline. Because the park is located just north of Philadelphia and Camden, copious amounts of trash float in with the tide. As such, there was no lack of "bounty," and the DRBC volunteers collected about 25 bags of trash and recyclables (glass and plastic bottles and cans). Besides being an eyesore, removing trash from in and around waterways is important, as it helps improve water quality and habitat.

Participating DRBC staff fully embraced the experience, not minding one bit getting their hands and feet dirty to help improve the Delaware River.

Most importantly, this effort was a stark reminder of the importance of disposing of all trash and recycling properly so we can keep our rivers, streams, and shorelines clean.
The DRBC cleanup crew worked a section of the river's shoreline, collecting trash from the beach, as it floated in with the tide, and also from the high tide line where the beach ends and the brush begins. Photo by DRBC.The DRBC cleanup crew worked a section of the river's shoreline, collecting trash from the beach, as it floated in with the tide, and also from the high tide line where the beach ends and the brush begins. Photo by DRBC.A photo of the trash that collects on the shoreline. Because Palmyra Cove is in close proximity to Camden and Philadelphia, lots of trash floats in with the tide and collects on the park's beach. Photo by DRBC.(From L to R) DRBC's Rich Gore and Steve Tambini pick up trash off the beach and also as it floats in from the river. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Hernan Quinodoz is all smiles as he pauses for a photo. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Bob Limbeck is all smiles as he pauses for a photo. Photo by DRBC.(From L to R) DRBC's Chad Pindar and Rich Gore check out an interesting find. Photo by DRBC.(From L to R) DRBC's Eric Engle and John Yagecic tie up full bags of trash. About 25 were collected in this cleanup effort! Photo by DRBC.
DRBC's Steve Tambini gets in the thick of the weeds to collect trash. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Kate Schmidt uses grabbers to collect trash from the brush. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's John Yagecic picks up plastic bottles and other trash that has gotten caught in the brush. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Chad Pindar holds a commonly found mussel in the tidal Delaware River: the alewife floater. This mussel is the 2nd or 3rd most abundant mussel in the river. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Chad Pindar holds up a rare find: the tidewater mucket mussel. This mussel is unique in that it specializes in tidal freshwater systems; while rare, it is doing pretty well in the tidal Delaware. Photo by DRBC.(From L to R) DRBC's Chad Pindar, Hernan Quinodoz, and Eric Engle take a break and watch the tide start to roll in. Photo by DRBC.The DRBC cleanup crew poses for a photo underneath the beautiful peregrine falcon mural on Palmyra Cove's Environmental Discovery Center. Photo by DRBC.The DRBC cleanup crew is all smiles as they pose for a photo with the Delaware River and Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in the background. Photo by DRBC.