Volunteer Spotlight: Paul Taylor breaks the 150,000 mark!
Just over two years ago, Paul Taylor signed up for SOLVE’s Adopt-A-River program and adopted a 2-mile section of the Slough near Whitaker Ponds. Since the last time we checked in with Paul, his total pieces of trash collected has gone from 45,000 to 157,000 pieces! Here are some of his reflections on his time cleaning up the Columbia Slough in 2022.
Youth Conservation Corps conducting an on-water cleanup.
What was your best day on the slough?
I had cleaned up a dump site along my stretch of the Slough and I was trying to figure out how to transport it out. Max from CSWC offered up the Youth Conservation Corp to come out and assist. Ryan and Lizzie from CSCW set up two bimarans and we paddled out to the dump site. It was a lot of fun working with this group of teenagers. We filled both bimarans with several bags of trash, a 50-gallon steel drum, an oven and three rolls of carpet and headed back. On the way back a race broke out between the two boats. The boys’ boat started out fast but ran out of steam and were overtaken by the girls’ boat.
What’s your best trash cleanup story?
So there I was, just minding my own business on the bank of the Columbia Slough and picking up trash as I often do. All of a sudden, I hear someone call out in a deep and authoritative voice, "Hey you!" I turn around and look up towards the top of the bank and on the shoulder of Cornfoot Road, two military police in full camo gear are staring down at me. Back up 10 minutes earlier to when I had spotted a mattress that someone had discarded on the bank of the Slough. I hauled the mattress up the bank, and dragged it across Cornfoot Road and propped it up against a 8-foot-tall chain link fence which protects the perimeter of the Armed National Guard. Apparently, someone on the army base witnessed this and set into motion a course of action. The military policeman looking down at me continued his dialogue, "Did you just dump that mattress?" I responded affirmatively and said that someone else had dumped it on the bank of the Slough and that I would come around later and pick it up and dispose of it properly. He thanked me for my efforts and left. I scrambled back up the bank to the shoulder of the road and saw two military police vehicles with lights flashing and 4 army personnel surrounding the mattress. I wondered to myself if they were planning to interrogate the mattress or just shoot it. Eventually they loaded it into their pickup and hauled it away, saving me a trip.
What is the best flora or fauna you have encountered on the Slough?
Janx the Great Blue Heron, photo by Paul Taylor
A while ago I came across the term Spark bird. It is defined as, "The species that mutates one’s benign regard for nature into a seething, immoderate interest in avifauna." Mine is not so much a species, but more one bird in particular and that would be Janx. Janx is a blue heron who hangs out at the dock where I launch into the Slough. I so named him for the janky left wing he has that hangs out to the side when he stands at rest. He broke it a few years ago and it has since mended. He flies perfectly well now. Sometimes when I come in from the Slough in the evenings I'll just pull up to the dock and hang out and watch Janx for a little while. It's peaceful and brings me joy.
What are your 2022 goals?
Maintain my two-mile section of the Slough from Whitaker ponds to 65th and Cornfoot
Lead four SOLVE events and clean the waterway from the levee on Elrod up to Cornfoot and 82nd Avenue
Paul exceeded his 2022 goals, not only maintaining his section of Slough but removing thousands of pieces of trash from it in the fall alone. His running totals of trash removed can be seen below in the graph that shows the number of pieces of trash collected per month.
What are your 2023 goals?
Maintain my two-mile section of the Slough from Whitaker ponds to 65th and Cornfoot
Participate in 80% of the clean-up events put on by the CSWC
Clean the north bank of the Slough between 65th and Cornfoot and Alderwood and Cornfoot
Clean the waterway on the Middle Slough and Upper Slough through CSWC cleanup events, leading SOLVE group events, individual efforts and coordinating with other Slough Adopt-A-River participants
Introduce 5 new people to the Slough
We are amazed by Paul’s work and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes in 2023! We are certain he will exceed expectations once again. While it is unfortunate that the Slough is littered, our community is incredibly lucky to have dedicated volunteers like Paul out there making it a cleaner, safer, more beautiful place for us all to enjoy.
If you’re interested in getting involved, visit our Adopt the Slough page to find out more!