When: Saturday May 1nd, 2010

Where: Meet at Kanaskat State Park

How can I participate:

Whitewater Rafting and kayaking

If you are an expert whitewater boater or kayaker you can run the river with others.

Whitewater Boater Information

Whitewater boating information for General Public

If you would like to raft the Green River Gorge as part of this year's Green River Cleanup we are happy to announce that Alpine Adventures has offered to guide our participants down the river. They will donate 30% of the cost of the trip to Middle Green River Coalition. So not only are you getting to spend an amazing day on one of the most beautiful rivers in Washington State but you are also helping to give back to the river conservation efforts.

To sign up go to: Brown Paper Tickets

If you don't have expert level expertise we'll provide a professionally guided river trip by Downstream River Runners, lunch on the river, and all necessary gear.

River Rafting cost is: $95.00. This includes the rafting trip, wetsuits, booties, life jackets, and lunch on the river.

River rafting SIGN-UP with Downstream River Runners.

Ground Crews

You can also participate in the on-the-ground clean-up at various places along the 12 mile long gorge. Explore the area while helping to pick up trash. Ground crews meet at Kanaskat State Park.

Ground Crew Information

This is a moderate hike with steady uphill climb from the river up to the townsite and cemetary. Please wear hiking shoes and bring appropriate clothing and essentials.

Volunteer to help on event day with logistics

Help out on the day of event with organizing ground crews, setting up and take down of event.

General Volunteer Signup

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B.B.Q.

2 - 6pm

$5.00 donation to "Friends of the Green"

BBQ by Friends of the Green and Washington Recreational River Runners. BBQ in new location this year for volunteers only. You will need voucher you will recieve as volunteer for event.

Dutch Oven Cook-off

Entertainment

"A Ribbon of Wilderness in Our Midst"

This year's theme is honor of Wolf Bauer, who is the original catalyst and author of the State Parks "Green River Gorge Preservation Plan". Having been too late to save the Cowlitz canyons, Wolf Bauer turned his attention in the mid-1960s to the Green River Gorge. After exploring and kayaking the gorge with friends, he returned with his wife to photograph it. He created a slideshow and approached the Washington State Parks Department to interest them in preserving the area. In a 1966 Seattle Times article, he described the gorge—just thirty miles from a million people—as “a ribbon of wilderness in our midst.” Thanks to public pressure, money was appropriated to purchase private land in the gorge from individuals, railroads and timber companies, thus protecting it from development. Wolf considers the Green River Gorge his legacy to kayaking in the Northwest.. To Learn More about Wolf visit the Mountaineer Journal website: More info on Wolf Bauer

The Green River Clean-up

is in its 25th year. It is organized by Washington Recreational River Runners, Friends of the Green. It is the oldest river clean-up in Washington State. Other participants are: Washington Kayak Club, Paddle Trails Canoe Club, B.E.W.E.T. (Boeing Employees Whitewater and Touring Club), University Kayak Club, Mountaineers, American Whitewater, Sierra Club, Green-Duwamish Watershed Alliance, and Washington State Parks, King County, and more.

Middle Green River Coalition

has joined the cleanup to help raise awareness of the urgent need to move conservation of the unique Green River Gorge forward. They have been working for the past 9 years to protect the "Green River Gorge Mountains to Valley Greenway" and have worked on land conservation in the greater Middle Green River Watereshed for the past 12 years. Their goal is to keep the conservation efforts that Wolf began moving forward through land acquisition along the Green River Gorge and uplands. They are also working to make sure that development doesn't threaten the important springs that feed cold clean water into the Green River Gorge.

Recreational River Flow Study

The results of the Recreational Flow Study are in.

In 1995 Friends of the Green, City of Tacoma, and King County signed a Settlement Agreement over construction of the Second Supply Pipeline which has since been constructed and diverts additional flow from the Green River. As as condition of constructing the pipeline Tacoma must conduct a study on recreational flow needs on the river that will gather information on (1) the river' historic flow ranges before construction and operation of the Howard Hanson Dam; (2) present, existing flows; (3) flows that would result from the Muckleshoot Agreement of August 1995; (4) and flow changes that may occur if the Howard Hanson Dam enhanced storage project is implemented. The study will identify the range of instream flows necessary for different types of recreational river uses including (at least) whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing.

Lacey O'Grady and Green River Community College Students

MGRC found out this year that Lacey has been doing her own clean up in August the last few years. She has worked to get the local community and Green River Community College involved . They hike the river in August when it is running low and the sun is shining. Stay tuned for announcements of her effort to "Keep the Green Clean".

Rock the Green Clean

This year Middle Green River Coalition members Lisa Parsons, Bernie McKinney, and Lacey O'Grady organized the 1st annual "Rock the Green Clean". This event is a way to bring more resources and awareness of the need to cleanup the trash along the Green River and raise awareness of the need for conservation of the Green River Gorge Mountains to Valley Greenway.

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