by Josh Wayman
Torque Staff Writer
It’s not often that Rhode Island and a desert line up in the same train of thought, but just off of Interstate 95 in West Greenwich, you’ll find plenty of sand and dunes.
Referred to as “The Desert” by those in the area, the 46-acre section of dunes was once the site of a rock quarry. When the quarry closed, only dunes remained and the soil can no longer support vegetation. While the area is off-limits to motorized vehicles, illegal off-roaders have been tearing up the area recently and leaving behind an alarming amount of trash in their wake.
In an effort to both clean up the desert and to positively represent the off-roading community, Ocean State Jeepsters worked to get permission from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to embark on a comprehensive cleanup of the area.
On a recent Saturday morning, 16 volunteers from the Ocean State Jeepsters with support from Tread Lightly! and Quadratec were able to remove approximately 400 pounds of trash, litter, and dumping debris from 46 acres of land.
The project marked the 17th installment of Quadratec’s 50-for-50 Trail Stewardship Initiative. By the end of 2023, the goal is to host 50 trail stewardship events in 50 states.
“Before the clean-up, you couldn’t look in any direction and not see some small piece of trash of some type,” said Aaron Lawrence, project organizer and Tread Lightly! Master Tread Trainer. “As we know, trash invites more trash. By the end of the day, we were able to drive clear across the Desert and not see any trash at all. There was a great sense of accomplishment for a relatively small team who made a big effort. Ocean State Jeepsters should be recognized for their selfless work not only for this year’s clean-up but for over a decade of projects in Big River teaming up with the West Greenwich Conservation Committee on Earth Day.
”There was so much trash in that one area, we didn’t get to two more areas that could use our help. We look forward to building on the great relationships formed with the RI DEM during this process so we can look forward to getting out there and making a difference.”
Quadratec’s ’50-for-50’ Trail Stewardship Initiative grant fund helps project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage and other miscellaneous costs. Additionally, Quadratec has been a supporting partner of Tread Lightly! for more than 20 years, and a longtime fundraiser for Tread Lightly!’s stewardship programs. The company has promoted Tread Lightly! and other trail restoration efforts through its Quadratec Cares ‘Energize the Environment’ program.
Clubs and individuals are required to be active, supporting members of Tread Lightly! to be eligible to apply for ’50-for-50’ grant funding.
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