by Libby Levison and Brian McClain ·
Friday, May 15, 2026
Approximately 200 people, in just over 100 groups, participated in this year’s townwide trash cleanup and garlic mustard pull. With 80% of the reports in, we estimate that volunteers collected over 260 bags of trash and garlic mustard. While this is less than in previous years, the event did coincide with school vacation and many people were away. In addition, volunteers again reported finding less trash this year. And those volunteers who continue to pull invasive garlic mustard reported finding less garlic mustard.
Youth groups made a strong showing again 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. We’d like to extend special thanks to: Westward Orchards for the use of their parking lot for supply handout, HUB Foundation in Chelmsford for the donation of high-visibility vests for the volunteers, the Select Board for its financial support, and the DPW crew who collected the bags from all of Harvard’s roads—thank you all.
Thanks also go to Barbara Romero, Jessie Panek, Heidi Siegrist, Alissa Weiss, and Paul Green for the work they do to make the cleanup and garlic mustard pull happen.
We are amazed 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 be possible without you. But another thank-you is due to all of Harvard’s residents who pick up trash from our roadsides and pull garlic mustard all year long. We know you’re out there.
Libby Levison and Brian McClain, on behalf of the cleanup organizers