River Rangers

Article reprinted with permission from: The Ridgefield Press, July 2, 1998,
p.1A RIVER RANGERS: HELP WANTED! by Emily Stone, (c) Hersam Acorn Press

Broken beer bottles. Foam plastic hamburger boxes. Candy bar wrappers. Shopping carts and old car parts. Is this what you expect to see while walking along the Norwalk River?

Environmentalist Kip Prather, a Reddingite and musician by trade, doesn't think so, and he is doing something about it. As a member of the Norwalk River Watershed Association Inc., he coordinates the River Ranger program.

"It's an eye on the river as well as cleaning up," Mr. Prather said during a recent interview, explaining that volunteers can observe the river for contaminants while removing litter and debris.

Mr. Prather's goal is to clean up the river and, with the help of others, the trash is starting to be removed. "People can make a difference. It's so simple," he said.

River Rangers like Mr. Prather adopt a section of the watershed area in Connecticut towns, including Redding, Weston, Ridgefield, Wilton, New Canaan and Norwalk, and in Lewisboro, N.Y. A clean-up may take an hour or it may take most of the day.

Mr. Prather has participated in three clean-ups and deems the efforts his favorite part of being involved in the association.

Working as a team is a major part of participating, Mr. Prather said. A group of five to 15 people often goes to a particularly "dirty" spot and works together to pickup trash, collect it in garbage bags, and haul it out of the riverbed area.

Mr. Prather has been impressed with the volunteers thus far. "All of them seem so eager to do it. It's a good sign that people care about the environment," said Mr. Prather who has lived in Redding for seven years with his wife, Carla. They have two girls and a boy.

The association is planning a small clean-up near the Branchville train station in Georgetown. It is also considering what role children and community groups can play in its effort to clean up the river.

Adopt a spot

Right now the association is coordinating sections of the river for new River Rangers. "We're taking people on and asking them what section they want," Mr. Prather said. He added that some people know the exact location they want to tackle. Those without preference can be assigned a spot. "There's a lot of sections available,"' he said.

Volunteer River Rangers dedicate two clean-up visits over the span of one year. There is no experience needed to participate. "Anybody can do it," said Mr. Prather, adding that some knowledge of rivers can be helpful.

In the area of safety, Mr. Prather and other association members hope to educate volunteers about "getting stuck in the mud" and other hazards. The association is open to questions from newcomers and has all levels of commitment from its volunteers.

Before a clean-up, some River Rangers alert homeowners near the area and also ask that dogs be kept inside. The association supplies badges for volunteers to wear.

Besides the clean-up effort, the association also serves as an education group. Being aware of safe-use fertilizers can he helpful if homeowners are unaware that they are using toxic fertilizers that seep into the river, Mr. Prather said.

He added that the cooperation of store owners in the area of the river is important, so they can he aware not to allow debris from their stores to foul the river. Store owner cooperation is a goal, he said. Speaking about his own desire to clean up the river, Mr. Prather said it is amazing how a little commitment can make such a big difference, and make one feel good.

Common goals

The Norwalk River Watershed Initiative is testing the river and will submit a plan of action to the seven watershed towns in coming months. Mr. Prather hopes the towns will work together for environmental betterment.

The River Rangers not only help clean up the river but also act as messengers to the towns, reporting possible dumping, Mr. Prather said. He added the sectional clean-ups should not segregate town efforts, but bring towns together. The more people help, the faster the river can be cleaned up, he said.

Prather hopes the efforts continue through the years and the River Rangers program will work hand in hand with the river initiative and the association. "As a bystander, I'd like to see all the groups work together," he said. Other Reddingites involved in the association are Vic DeMasi, director, and Jere Ross, treasurer. Both are members of the town's Conservation Commission.