Park and stream cleanup at Jennie Dean Park

The Arlington Jaycees are collaborating with EcoAction Arlington and the Ocean Conservancy to clean up Jennie Dean Park and Four Mile Run. Join us to help clean up our parks and keep plastic waste out of our waterways, while meeting new friends!

We will be meeting at 11 AM at Jennie Dean Park at the pedestrian bridge near the intersection of S. Nelson and S. Oakland Streets. There is a large arch with a green sign saying "Jennie Dean Park".

EcoAction Arlington will provide equipment such as gloves and trash bags. We will be logging the litter we collect using the CleanSwell app so you may want to download it before the event. They require volunteers to fill out a waiver, linked here.

After the park cleanup, we will meet to socialize and get some food and drinks at Samuel Beckett's Irish Pub in nearby Shirlington! This is a short walk over the pedestrian bridge.

Full details from EcoAction below:

Please take a moment to carefully review the following instructions to ensure a successful event:

1. Meeting Location: We will be meeting at 11am next to the pedestrian bridge which faces S. Arlington Mill Drive, near the Shirlington dog park where the green Jennie Dean Park sign is. (A photo is attached for reference.) Day-of instructions will be announced, materials distributed, and Q&A.
2. Parking: We encourage you to explore eco friendly transportation options such as rideshare, biking, walking, or public transportation to get to our cleanup! There is a parking lot next to the dog park and street parking, should you need to drive.
3. Waiver: All attendees must complete this [very quick!] waiver before attending the trash cleanup. We will have a QR code of the waiver available at the event, but we highly encourage you to complete this step before arriving for a smooth start!
4. CleanSwell App: We will be collecting our trash tally data through the CleanSwell app. If you plan to use it, it's best to set it up beforehand! You may directly log your tally with the app, or one person can log for a few volunteers. Once the tally is complete, it is important that the cleanup is ended onsite in the app for an accurate location tally.
5. Materials / what to bring: We will have gloves and trash bags to hand out at the event, but if you have your own work gloves, we encourage you to bring them. We will be supplying a small amount of trash grabbers, but if you have one and would like to bring it, you are welcome to. Please also bring your own reusable water bottle and snacks to carry with you, if you wish. We kindly ask that you do not bring single use plastics to our events.
6. Safety Instructions:

• Please wear sturdy shoes! This 100 ft section is covered with boulders and can be steep. Please wear toe-covered shoes that are strong and sturdy. Be sure to wear clothing you don't mind getting a little dirty.
• Take your time and work carefully. Be cautious especially on rocks, which may be slippery.
• Watch out for poison ivy. Wash clothes with detergent after the event and wash any skin that may have touched poison ivy with cold soap and water or Technu, a commercial poison ivy oil remover. I will be going over what to look for before we begin. Poison Ivy wipes will be provided.
• Watch out for ticks! Please be sure to ask your volunteers to check for ticks after the cleanup. Ticks are already out, on tall grass and brush.
• Please wear gloves. Do not pick up any items that are sharp including boards with nails, glass, syringes, or broken metal.
• The stream is not safe for swimming and bathing. It is OK to wade and touch the water, but make sure to wash your hands and any other exposed areas after contact. Keep stream water out of eyes, ears, mouth, or open sores. Children who can't understand these precautions should be kept out of the stream. **Please note that this stream is downhill from Glencarlyn Dog Park, and it is not recommended that you touch or wade in the water at this location.
• If you see dead organisms, smell a strong chemical smell, or see something that indicates someone might have dumped something into the stream or a nearby storm drain, call 703-558-2222, the non-emergency police number. If you see someone dumping something into the stream or a nearby storm drain, call 911.

7. What to Expect: Please check in when you arrive. We will be going over a few instructions and logistics for the cleanup/tally at our meeting location. Then, you will then be encouraged to break out into groups of 2-4 people, appointing one person to be the group tally collector.

The tally collector will record the trash findings in the CleanSwell app. You're welcome to explore rotating who the trash collector is, but only 1 phone/device will be needed to use for this! I will be around to help you with this, if you have any questions or concerns.

The cleanup will take place for about 90 minutes along a specific 100ft section of the park. We will reconvene at 12:45 pm to submit our tally findings through the app, take photos, and move the trash bags to the appropriate pickup location. (Near our meeting spot)

Please reach out if you have any questions! Thank you for doing your part to make our community and world a greener and cleaner place to live!