IRU Volunteer Program Update
Thank you to all of our volunteers this summer who have spent hours making a difference for our Idaho rivers. Photo credit: Lindsey Paynter, IRU staff
IRU’s volunteer programs are in full swing this summer. This year, we launched a monthly clean-up effort along the Boise River and started two new stewardship programs – the Sawtooth Salmon Stewardship Program and the Boise Urban River Stewardship Program.
Our Sawtooth Salmon Stewards are actively engaged in safeguarding the Salmon River and spreading awareness about the critical habitat the river possesses this time of year for salmon redds. We have seven trained stewards dedicated to protecting the Salmon River. Through this program, IRU and the U.S. Forest Service are partnering to provide youth outreach opportunities focused on educating youth about the importance of environmental stewardship while recreating in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and on the Salmon River.
Our Urban River Stewards are working hard to keep litter out of our cherished Boise River while monitoring its water quality. This program runs through October and all stewards are required to complete three activities dedicated to protecting the Boise River. We’d like to give a shout-out to Samuel and David Murray for already completing their three stewardship activities. Samuel and David engaged in over seven hours of litter pick-up along the Boise River Greenbelt, covering the area from Americana Boulevard to Glenwood Street in Garden City.
Our Adopt-a-Greenbelt monthly clean-ups have been a volunteer favorite this summer. We’ve had 22 volunteers attend the summer clean-ups volunteering over a combined 36 hours. IRU’s adopted section of the Boise Greenbelt runs from Capital Boulevard to Broadway Bridge. This section of the Greenbelt sees a large increase in litter during the floating season. We have two upcoming clean-ups scheduled for August 30th and September 13th from 6-8pm. If you are interested in helping IRU maintain our adopted section of the Greenbelt, please email our volunteer coordinator at lindsey@idahorivers.org.
IRU is excited to connect more people to the wonderful rivers that our state has to offer. We are proud that our volunteers are eager to get involved and help protect these watersheds. Interested in volunteering with Idaho Rivers United? Visit our volunteer page on our website to find out about upcoming opportunities from volunteering at events to becoming a river steward.
