Lethbridge’s river valley is getting a good cleaning.
The annual Coulee Cleanup is underway, with the campaign officially launching on Wednesday to coincide with Earth Day.
Volunteers band together to clear different areas of the river valley of garbage, cigarette butts and other discarded items that can be harmful to the environment.
“Coulee Cleanup will go until the end of May, and we’re going to clean up the entire river valley of Lethbridge, north to south,” said Chelsea Sherbut, resource development coordinator at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.
Sherbut added that the local community is fortunate to be home to a beautiful and natural asset like the river valley. However, she noted the area does not “self-clean”.
“So, we [all] need to take some responsibility to maintain it, the stewardship of it and that’s for the wildlife that’s here and that’s also for our own enjoyment,” Sherbut stated.
“Looking after it makes all the difference in the world.”
More information about Coulee Cleanup, including a link to register, is available through the City of Lethbridge website.
VERDANT QUEST
Sherbut added that for the second year, Verdant Quest has returned to the city.
READ MORE: New challenge highlights conservation efforts in Lethbridge
Verdant Quest includes four different environmental challenges for participants, with the Coulee Cleanup being one of them. For every challenge completed, participants earn a badge for a chance to win different prizes.
“We would love folks to participate in those four challenges. We’ve got some fabulous local business prizes, as well as the grand prize, which is a luxury, $70 trash picker,” remarked Sherbut.
Verdant Quest runs through to the end of July.
The inaugural event in 2025 saw over 1,000 participants.
READ MORE: Nature Centre’s inaugural Verdant Quest conservation challenge a success
