Garbage collected by volunteers for the annual Mississippi River Clean Up accumulates in a dumpster Saturday at the West Copeland Boat Landing.
Marigene Karnick of La Crosse searches for trash Saturday along the Black River near the West Copeland Boat Landing while volunteering in the annual Mississippi River Clean Up. “It’s a beautiful area and we want to keep it beautiful,” Karnick said .
The Krall family of Onalaska, from left, Christine, Ian, 4, Giffin, 7, and Scott, motor up to the West Copeland Boat Landing with a load full of garbage and junk they collected Saturday while participating in the annual Mississippi River Clean Up.
Volunteers Katie Wilson and Craig Hackbart carry a piece of junk to the dumpster Saturday at the West Copeland Boat Landing.
River Clean Up La Crosse, a community event whose volunteers have pulled more than 700,000 pounds of trash and debris from area waterways, will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 8.
“In 28 years, we’ve pulled some pretty amazing things from the water. We see a lot of the big stuff like; car parts, household appliances and barrels, but what we pick up the most is common trash that gets into the water from the storm drains,” says group organizer Amy Smith
“This annual cleanup is a great opportunity to get with your friends and family and really make a tangible difference in the health of our community and the waterways that run through it.”
River Clean Up La Crosse is looking for community volunteers to assist. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to join the fun by boat or by foot, and pick up trash on the water, along shorelines, and in neighborhood streets.
River Clean Up is also looking for community partners to help aid in this year’s event and expand efforts in future years.
Even with the continued presence of COVID-19, River Clean Up is one of the rare community events that is still able to happen and happen safely. All volunteers and representatives are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing at landings, and there will be no after party held this year.
To learn more, register to volunteer or become a partner, visit www.rivercleanuplacrosse.com, or find the event on
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Every year local bird lovers are treated to a spectacle when multitudes of tundra swans congregate on the Mississippi River just south of Brownsville, Minn. during their seasonal migration south from the far reaches of the Arctic to the southeastern United States. Traveling in family groups, they start their journey in late summer, leaving their nesting area and stopping in estuaries on the way.
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swans take flight near Brownsville, Minn.
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
Tundra swan migration
