Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful

CREATING AND MAINTAINING A CLEANER, MORE BEAUTIFUL REGION THROUGH EDUCATION AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

THROUGH THE ANNUAL ADOPT-A-SPOT, NEIGHBORHOOD, OPEN SPACE, AND RIVER CLEANUP PROGRAMS, 5,076 VOLUNTEERS REMOVED 72.31 TONS OF TRASH AND 48.80 TONS OF GREEN WASTE AND INVASIVE WEEDS FROM AREA PARKS, ROADSIDES, NEIGHBORHOODS, OPEN SPACE AREAS, AND FROM WITHIN AND ALONG THE RIVER THROUGH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY CLEANUPS AND SEVERAL LARGE EVENTS, INCLUDING THE TRUCKEE RIVER CLEANUP DAY. VOLUNTEERS WERE ALSO ABLE TO PLANT OVER 4,100 FLOWERS AND NATIVE PLANTS. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THE ANNUAL TRUCKEE RIVER CLEANUP WAS HELD WITH RESTRICTIONS TO THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS PER SITE ACCOUNTING FOR A SMALL DROP IN VOLUNTEERS AND IMPACT. VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED 14,658 HOURS OF SERVICES,WHICH EQUATES TO MORE THAN $373,000 BASED UPON THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES DETERMINED ANNUALLY BY INDEPENDENTSECTOR.ORG. IF THESE VOLUNTEER SERVICES WERE INCLUDED IN THE REPORTED EXPENSES, PROGRAM SERVICES WOULD COMPRISE MORE THAN 177% OF TOTAL EXPENSES.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT INCLUDED CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING, ANNUAL LITTER INDEX SURVEY, WASTE, WEED, AND WATERSHED WARRIORS YOUTH EDUCATION, RECYCLING GUIDE AND ADULT SUSTAINABILITYPRESENTATIONS. 10,727 CHRISTMAS TREES WERE COLLECTED AND RECYCLED INTO MULCH WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE FREE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TO AREA PARKS. 442 COMMUNITY MEMBERS EDUCATED THROUGH KTMB'S ADULT SUSTAINABILITY PRESENTATIONS. A LARGE PORTION OF PRESENTATIONS WERE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19. KTMB'S RECYCLING GUIDE OFFERS WASHOE COUNTY RESIDENTS WAYS TO REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE UNWANTED ITEMS INCLUDING, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE, IN THE TRUCKEE MEADOWS. KTMB'S YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM REACHED 1,145 STUDENTS. LESSONS WERE STILL LIMITED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, KTMB HAS APPLIED TO BECOME A STEM-CERTIFIED EDUCATION PROGRAM.