Nelly Koz

Myself and another member of the Adopt-a-Stream at KSU club gave our labor and skills to the Great Gwinnett Wetlands volunteering opportunity by Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful.

This was the description of the event:
"We plan to have multiple teams fan out across the county to pick up trash and restore wetland habitat. Much of the area where the work will be performed is wet and muddy. Volunteers are required to wear closed-toe shoes – preferably hiking boots or muck/rain boots – and clothes they won’t mind getting dirty. Please wear long pants as we will be in the woods, rubbing up against various plants. They should also be sure to bring a snack and water bottle to stay hydrated.

Taking on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem, wetlands are “saturated lands” that act as sponges – collecting and storing excess water to help prevent flooding in local streams, rivers and lakes. The Great Gwinnett Wetlands program is designed to grow awareness and promote the ongoing stewardship of Gwinnett’s numerous wetlands to prevent a deterioration of their vitality through littering, which harms our natural water resources.

Come out to clean-up protect and collect water quality data for Gwinnett’s most important water resource–wetlands!"

Along with another member of Adopt-a-Stream at KSU, we volunteered for Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful to clean trash and litter out of waterways, preventing it from being eaten by wildlife and leeching chemicals into the water. We also participated in a stream bank stabilization and learned the importance of doing so.

Hot outside, but important work!

Cleared invasive plants to make the trail more accessible, then assisted in leading volunteers through the chemical testing.

Enjoyed pulling weeds and learning about the field station.

The organizer was extremely knowledgeable and made an effort to educate the volunteers about plants in an easy-to-understand and accessible way.

I worked as a volunteer photographer for Atlanta Pride and even provided photos for the official Wedding of Atlanta Pride.

Love training!

I enjoyed cleaning litter from Lake Nelson and its surrounding areas with the EcoOwl club.