About 270 people, in 136 groups, participated in this year’s townwide roadside trash cleanup and garlic mustard pull. With 90% of the reports in, we can report that volunteers collected 540 bags of trash and garlic mustard from 87% of Harvard’s 69 miles of roads. This is more than the 484 bags reported in 2023. Volunteers reported finding less trash this year. Meanwhile volunteers continue to pull invasive garlic mustard—and many volunteers reported seeing less garlic mustard.
Youth groups made a significant contribution this year with the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts collecting trash from town center, the Common, sports fields, the town beach, and some key roads. Students from Bromfield’s National Honor Society as well as 16 Harvard Conservation Trust student trail managers and adults participated in the cleanup. And a shout-out to those volunteers who took on Mass. Ave. and Ayer Road north of Old Mill Road: it’s been a few years since those areas were “cleaned up.” Thanks also go to Westward Orchards for the use of their parking lot for supply handout; the Select Board for their financial support; and Tim Kilhart and the DPW crew who collected the bags from all of Harvard’s roads.
We are blown away each year by the number of our neighbors who join the cleanup and pitch in to keep Harvard’s roadsides clear of litter and garlic mustard. The cleanup wouldn’t work without you. And last but not least, thank you to all of Harvard’s residents who pick up trash on our roads and pull garlic mustard all year long. We know you’re out there.
The townwide cleanup and garlic mustard pull organizers
