The nonprofit Southern California Mountains Foundation is committed to conservation, environmental education and promoting responsible recreation aimed at the millions of visitors to our Southern California National Forests and Inland Empire community parks. They are also committed to the cleanup of unsightly and unhealthy trash littering our public lands.
Litter abatement is at the core of the conservation work this nonprofit performs every day. Through a team of 100 Corpsmembers and 500+ volunteers, the Mountains Foundation cleans up over 5 TONS of trash from Southern California public lands every year with a focus on the Inland Empire, San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino National Forest is one busiest national forests and; consequently, one of the most impacted forests in the nation.
According to Wildlife Fact File the magnitude of the problem is growing every day. It’s becoming more unhealthy and difficult to remove along with clean up and public education costs on the rise.
How does this impact the environment??? About 10,000,000 land animals die from litter-related causes each year in the U.S. (answers.com/animal life) Birds, mammals, and reptiles can be injured or killed by the trash we throw away. Some types of litter do not readily disintegrate and therefore remain in the environment as a threat for decades. For example, aluminum cans do not disintegrate and some plastics take decades to break down.
However, since this problem begins with us, everyone can be part of the solution. Everyone can get involved by disposing of waste properly and providing financial assistance to organizations like the Mountains Foundation to fund the on-the-ground work and, as importantly, the public education to turn the tide.
One large initiative the Mountains Foundation is working on through their Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Education and Safety volunteer program is to address large-scale dumping on National Forests. Working in conjunction with law enforcement officers, OHV volunteers are mapping dumping sites on the San Bernardino National Forest and developing the cleanup projects to remove tires, boats and parts, inoperable vehicles, and large appliances to address forest dumping and the offenders. National Forests have become popular dumping sites.
Through the Give BIG San Bernardino campaign and its conservation work 365/24/7, the Mountains Foundation is committed to bring change and clean up by facing trash head-on through public and youth education and small- and large-scale trash removal projects.
To make a donation, please visit: http://www.mountainsfoundation.org/
About the Southern California Mountains Foundation: The Southern California Mountains Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that (1) supports youth development through conservation initiatives integrating environmental education, training and hands-on service projects; (2) protects our natural resources through adult and family-led programming; and (3) provides interpretive services that focus on outdoor recreation, responsible use, and stewardship of our natural environment. The Mountains Foundation achieves its mission by raising money, organizing critical volunteer resources, and creating and managing programs focused on health, stewardship and sustainability of our Southern California mountains and urban “forests”. Visit www.MountainsFoundation.org
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