Clean Waters Challenge aims to heal the Bear River

PETOSKEY — Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council staff, local organizations, volunteers and families will come together on June 22 for the "Clean Waters Challenge: Healing the Bear."

The clean-up event, set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bear River Recreation Area off of Quintance Avenue, aims to help tackle the river's decline and protect it for future generations by cleaning up trash and other debris.

The 15-mile span of the Bear River is home to a wide range of fish and wildlife, a whitewater course for kayakers and is a popular spot for anglers.

But, the river also has a history of industrial use, dumping, logging and damming, which watershed council officials said resulted in the erosion of riverbanks and the disruption of water flow and aquatic life. The removal of dams in the 1990s and expanded restoration efforts that began in 2010 have aimed to restore the Bear River to its natural state.

Today, the Bear River remains a focus of ongoing efforts of erosion control, shoreline restoration, stormwater management and invasive species control.

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The “Healing the Bear” clean-up was first launched in 2010. This year marks the clean-up’s return following a five-year hiatus.

The event includes a BBQ lunch that begins at noon. Volunteers are needed to help remove and sort trash from the Bear River including electronics, appliances, cardboard, glass, plastic, scrap metal, tires and wood, to be properly disposed of at the Emmet County Transfer Station.

To register or for more information, visit watershedcouncil.org.

— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Clean Waters Challenge aims to heal the Bear River in Petoskey