Volunteers needed for DuPage River Sweep

Volunteers are needed to participate in the 25th annual DuPage River Sweep to clean portions of the waterway throughout the county.

The Sweep will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 21, with volunteers helping to remove debris and restore areas near the DuPage River and its tributaries.

Since 1991, more than 10,800 volunteers have participated in this annual cleanup and removed nearly 3,252 tons of trash. In 2015, a record was set by 600 volunteers who cleared debris over 95 miles of shoreline, removing items such as a car bumper, tricycle, no-parking sign, shopping cart and 40 golf balls.

Volunteers get exercise outdoors while removing potential hazards for river wildlife, improving water flow through the county, and alleviating potential flood hazards, organizers said.

If picking up trash isn't quite your bag, you can help restore natural areas near waterways by removing invasive plant species such as buckthorn, garlic mustard, honeysuckle and multiflora rose.

To register as a group or individual, call The Conservation Foundation at (630) 428-4500, ext. 121, or visit theconservationfoundation.org/sweep.