The Tri-Cities are blessed with miles of shoreline but there is a responsibility that comes with beautiful views.

Keeping shorelines free of litter is an important job that has to be done by someone. Thankfully, lots of individuals and groups are prepared to take on the task and one of the first out of the gate for the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up is the Port Moody Ecological Society (PMES).

The stewardship group that looks after the Noons Creek Hatchery is looking for volunteers to pick up garbage along the Port Moody shoreline this Saturday, Sept. 19. Volunteers will be meeting at the hatchery near the rec centre and fanning out along the inlet beginning at 9 a.m. Participants should bring their own gloves but garbage bags will be provided.

PMES president Elaine Golds (also The Tri-City News’ Green Scene columnist) said keeping shorelines free of litter, especially plastic and cigarette butts, is critical for species survival. Many animals die from ingesting things that people carelessly drop during their walks. She said hatchery volunteers regularly pick-up garbage in the area but welcomes more volunteer participation.

“It’s clean-up time every day of the year but having this annual day gets more people involved,” she said.

PMES vice-president Dave Bennie said he appreciates the help as volunteers have been keeping the area clean, even setting up an education fund with money collected from bottles and cans. This year, student Cascade Tong received $500 towards environmental sciences she’ll be taking, Bennie said, adding that the fund was started years ago by Bill Nicol, who was a member and keen bottle collector.

• National clean-up week is Sept. 19 to 27 this year and Canadians across the country are participating. According to the website promoting the event (www.vanaqua.org/cleanup/home.php), 51,590 people have registered to participate, including 1,370 groups. Last year in B.C., 13,202 garbage bags and 135,467 kg of garbage were collected by 63,491 registrants.

dstrandberg@tricitynews.com