Kayaker Leads Mon River Cleanup Efforts
Tim Terman leads volunteers on his own pontoon boat to help clean
up the river.
The State Journal
7 November 2010
By Mike Krafcik
MORGANTOWN -- Tim Terman spent eleven years leading kayak tours
on the river. Throughout the period, he got sick and tired of seeing
liter around the river's banks.
"I was cleaning up for my customers. I didn't want people out of state
coming here and seeing litter on this river that I really love.
Terman organized litter cleanups beginning in 2006.
During the cleanups, Terman loads his pontoon boat -- the Monongahela
Monitor. A volunteer crew will use 10-foot-long handles to grab trash
floating in the water and stuck in tree limbs and rocks.
Terman aims his cleanups towards the younger generation. They learn
about the river, boating and ecology while helping pick up trash.
"When you toss a water bottle or water cap that can kill an albatross
in the Gulf of Mexico. So, I want to teach young people because older
people should know better," he said.
Nine year old Ben Farley has become passionate about keeping the river
clean.
"It's really fun and good for the environment. I don't want the
Monongahela River to turn into a big pile of trash," said Farley.
The City of Morgantown helps to support the cleanup trips by donating
$2,500 every year toward the boat's storage and maintenance.
A few weeks ago, the city installed a kiosk containing information
about the river along with a trash barrel.
This setup is planned for two other points along the river. Terman
hopes these the use of the trash barrels will play a large role in the
reduction of litter.
"Often times they'll leave litter behind. So, I got to thinking lets
put a litter barrel here. There were no barrels," he said.
Terman says he'd like to expand the cleanup route to as far south as
Fairmont and as far north as Point Marion, Pa.
Terman also hopes to establish an "Adopt A Mile Of the Mon" program.