HELENA — As birds like osprey and geese begin nesting in the Spring Meadow Lake area, litter like fishing line and twine cause danger for the aquatic avians.
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"Not only is it impacting the wildlife, but also all of us in the public," Corie Bowditch, the program manager for Montana Wild said.
For many, hiking or fishing is a way to connect with nature, and in Helena, you can do that right near town at Spring Meadow Lake.
For both wildlife and those recreating, it can be hard to enjoy when there is litter around.
On Friday, dozens of community members of all ages threw on their muck boots and grabbed their saws to help clean up the park.
Bowditch says, "I think it is a great opportunity for folks to make a difference right here in their community for wildlife, especially to see the young people getting involved."
With clean-up days like line and twine, the goal is to lower the number of birds relying on fishing line to make nests.
"Unlike grass and natural materials, it doesn't break and so it can be a really big hazard," Bowditch says. "They can get tangled in it and their young can get tangled in it."
Every year, Montana Wild sees geese, ducks, and songbirds wrapped in discarded twine and fishing line and the resources are there to prevent this from happening with mono-filament recycling and trash bins placed across the park.
"People need to pick up after themselves," Leslie Smith with Last Chance Audubon says. "They come out to recreate and they need to pay a little price of cleaning up after themselves to make it safe for the birds and animals, and other people using it."
While you are at Spring Meadow Lake this spring and summer recreating, be sure to recycle all mono-filament, whether it is yours or some you find in tube recycling bins.
