In a significant move to actively clean up its creeks and trails, Pflugerville is rolling up its sleeves with the help of two grants aimed at beautifying the city's waterways. The city received a combined total of $25,500 in grants for different cleanup initiatives to enhance local parks and trail systems following grants from Keep Texas Beautiful and ZenWTR Waterway & Coastal Cleanup.
The first program, known as Adopt-A-Creek, is designed to engage residents directly in the upkeep of their natural surroundings. It was launched in January thanks to a share of $25,000 awarded by Keep Texas Beautiful. Participants will now be able to adopt sections of Gilleland Creek to clean and maintain. Timothy Ward, Pflugerville Parks and Recreation program supervisor said, "Keep Pflugerville Beautiful is excited to receive this grant to help us launch this new Adopt-A-Creek program." The initiative requires volunteers to conduct cleanup activities quarterly over two years, according to Community Impact.
In addition to the Adopt-A-Creek effort, Pflugerville has also been granted $500 by KTB as part of a different initiative. The city will use the funds to host a "Pfall Creek Cleanup" event to further clear litter and debris from portions of Gilleland Creek. This special funding, originating from the ZenWTR Waterway and Coastal Cleanup Grant, will also provide for specialized cleanup tools and equipment necessary for the task. "Since Gilleland Creek flows along many parks and trails throughout the community, we wanted to host this Pfall Creek Cleanup event to help protect and improve this valuable resource for both the City of Pflugerville and its residents," Ward told the City of Pflugerville's official site.
The efforts are part of a larger mission by ZenWTR to combat ocean-bound plastic, to rescue 50 million pounds of it by 2025. "ZenWTR is committed to preserving our oceans, from using 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic to make our bottles to our 1% For the Oceans initiative, through which we donate 1% of all sales to credible domestic organizations committed to ocean conservation and recycling advancement," said Vice President of Marketing, Jessica Qussar. These grants will not just clean up local waterways but also send a larger message about environmental stewardship.
