Volunteers Clean Up Arroyo

There were bottle caps, straws, clothing, millions of Plastic bags
By Mary Schubert, Staff Writer

PASADENA -- Dozens of volunteers spent Saturday morning in a beautiful setting with a dirty task under the Colorado Street Bridge, removing garbage from the Arroyo Seco.

The cleanup, organized by Pasadena Beautiful, drew off-duty Pasadena city employees, members of the Arroyo Seco Foundation, and students from Marshall Fundamental School, Blair High School, Westridge School and The Chandler School.

City Council members Sid Tyler and Joyce Streator also pitched in.

"Joyce was down in the stream, picking up trash,' said Jan Muntz, president of Pasadena Beautiful, a nonprofit organization.

Tyler and other volunteers dug holes for the planting of 15 Engelmann oak trees on the site, along Arroyo Boulevard between the Colorado Street Bridge and an adjacent arched span, the Ventura (134) Freeway.

The oaks paid for by the city replaced several mature, diseased eucalyptus trees that crews uprooted two weeks ago.

"There's a blight that's attacking eucalyptus trees ... and they're dying,' Muntz said.

The Engelmann oaks, a native species, were selected because they flourish in a warm, dry climate.

"They happen to grow very well in Pasadena,' Muntz said.

Steadied by green metal poles, the saplings stand about 6 feet tall and have trunks about two fingers thick.

"They're slow-growing trees ... but they live a long time,' Muntz said, noting mature Engelmann oaks are known for their thick, leafy canopy.

Established 40 years ago, Pasadena Beautiful maintains city street trees, raises funds to increase the "urban forest' via tree plantings, and recognizes local homeowners for beautiful landscaping. The organization has 500 members, Muntz said.

Meanwhile, volunteers Saturday filled garbage bags with trash pulled from the river and its banks.

"There were bottle caps, straws, clothing, millions of plastic bags and cups and Styrofoam,' Muntz said. "We had one set of bags for recyclables and another set of bags for trash.'

Among the items washed downstream: "lots of golf tees, golf balls and tennis balls,' she said. "The trash comes from (Brookside) Golf Course and the Rose Bowl.'

-- Mary Schubert can be reached at (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4456 or by e-mail at mary.schubert@sgvn.com.