On Nov. 8, volunteers gathered in North Merrick to tackle a massive pollution problem at Mullener Pond, clearing a staggering 1.5 truckloads of debris.
The cleanup, part of Save the Great South Bay's Creek Defender Program that is co-chaired by James Bertsch and Donald Nedbalsky, resulted in the collection of 80 35-gallon bags filled with litter—an estimated 8,000 plastic bottles among the garbage.
Around 45 volunteers from various local organizations and environmental groups worked together to restore the heavily polluted waterway near the Meadowbrook Parkway. Notable contributors included Neil Ciampa and the crew from Project Splash, Lauren Cassidy and Eileen Casazza from the Merrick Civic Association, the Merrick Kiwanis, and Jeff Mason from Jones Beach State Park.
“It was awesome,” Bertsch said. “The big thing was it's about locals understanding that this is their cleanup, and that's what I saw. Especially the Merrick Civic Association. They were so into it. Our model is that we help organize it, but you run it because you want people to feel like they accomplished something and did something.”
Jones Beach State Park sent three trucks and 10 volunteers to help haul away the waste, which had accumulated over the years from storm runoff, windblown recycling, and waste from nearby neighborhoods.
“I didn't know that that was going to happen,” Bertsch said about the Jones Beach State Park participation. “It was awesome because then there were 25 volunteers there, which is huge.”
Despite the considerable progress made during the event, organizers noted that the work at Mullener Pond is far from over, and more cleanups will be needed to fully restore the area.
The Creek Defender Program, which is dedicated to cleaning and protecting the creeks that flow into the Great South Bay, aims to engage more local residents in long-term stewardship. Save the Great South Bay hopes this cleanup will inspire more people to get involved and take ownership of their local waterways.
The organization is also working on expanding its reach to create a Meadowbrook Green Corridor that will connect nearby communities and further protect the South Shore’s estuaries.
Anyone interested in volunteering for future cleanups or becoming a designated creek defender in their community -- especially Bellmore, Merrick, Freeport, and Seaford -- can contact Bertsch at 516-987-6453.
