SRIT Litter Program

What is SRIT?  The Sequatchie River Inter-Agency Team is the form where all Government Agencies (Local, State & National) and Interested Organizations of the Sequatchie River Watershed meet to address environmental and water problems and projects within the watershed.

SRIT Litter Program: SRIT took on the problem of litter in the watershed after four major floods spread tons of construction materials and tomato farm plastic ground cover plastic and irrigation plastic in the Sequatchie River and on its banks primarily in Sequatchie County.  The severe negative of tons of plastic and construction material was brought to the attention of SRIT, who’s membership went to Tennessee Valley Authority for emergency funding for the first clean up.  This was held in June 2002 and the SRIT team and 1^st Baptist Church Youth and other volunteers removed several tons of material from the Sequatchie River and its banks.

          Tennessee Highway 111 Bridge construction plastic hung in trees along Sequatchie River after Winter-Spring flooding 2002. Photo by Ernestine Pilkington.

          Scott Pilkington with three piles of tomato farm plastic sheet and pipe removed from the Sequatchie River later picked up by SRIT during Litter Pickup June 2002.  Photo by Ernestine Pilkington.

          Tammy Hutchinson (SRIT/TN Dept. of Ag.) and Scott Pilkington (SRIT) with litter picked up with tomato farm plastic hung in trees along Sequatchie River during survey river trip May 2002.  Photo by Ernestine Pilkington.

Mary McBryar (SRIT/TVA) with tomato farm plastic removed from Sequatchie River during survey trip May 2002.  Photo by Ernestine Pilkington.

SRIT was submitted for several Keep Tennessee Beautiful Awards and honored with Award of Excellence for Community Groups and a $1000 Grant for improvement of the environment. 

          From Left: Commissioner Gerald Nicely, TN Dept of Transportation, Tammy Hutchinson with Award (SRIT/TN Dept. of Ag.) and Scott Pilkington (SRIT) Feb. 2003.  Photo by Connie Easterly.

Upon receipt of the Grant funds SRIT set up their own Awards Program.  Any non-profit group, which fielded 10 or more people for four hours to pick-up litter anywhere in the Sequatchie River watershed is honored with a $100 cash Grant for their program.  This Program is still active.  In Sequatchie County the Following Litter Pickups have been held in 2003.

          Dunlap SDA Church Pathfinders on SRIT Award Litter Pickup June 2003.  Photo by Ernestine Pilkington

          Dunlap SDA Church Pathfinders on SRIT Award Litter Pickup June 2003.  Photo by Pastor Ron Follett.

          Dunlap 1^st Baptist Church Youth on SRIT Award Litter Pickup July 2003.  Photo by Youth Pastor Steve Jones.

          Ridgeland High School AFROTC coming off Sequatchie River after six mile Litter Pick up Sept. 2003.  Photo by Scott Pilkington.

          Ridgeland High School AFROTC canoe  with picked up litter in canoe. Fifty-two students and chaperons picked up six miles of Sequatchie River.  Sept 2003.  Photo by Scott Pilkington.

SRIT is also the recipient of an additional $1000 Litter Pick-up Grant from Tennessee Wildlife Resources for 2003-2004.  Interested Groups may also apply for this program.

In addition to grant funded Litter Pick-up programs, Other Sequatchie County folk’s hold their own pickups.

          Scott Pilkington with tomato farm irrigation plastic pipe on Litter Pickup on Sequatchie River April 2003.  Photo by Ernestine Pilkington.

          Scott Pilkington on Litter pickup April 2003.  Closer canoe was operated by Ernestine Pilkington.  Photo By Ernestine Pilkington.

If you have pictures of others in the process of Keeping Dunlap and Sequatchie County Litter Free please let us know we would like to add them.

SRIT and CANOE the Sequatchie Clean up efforts came to the attention of Litter Project a web site for litter programs.

www.litterproject.com/supporters/sequatchie.html

www.litterproject.com.

To apply for a SRIT Litter Pickup Grant:  Contact Scott Pilkington at 423-949-4400