ANOTHER VIEW: Ninth Great Gwinnett Wetlands event coming on May 6

By Kasie Bolling

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.  |  The ninth Annual Great Gwinnett Wetlands will be in the wetlands that border Lawrenceville’s Sweetwater Creek at Bethesda Park on Saturday, May 6. To ensure the event’s success, volunteers are being sought to help pick up litter, remove invasive plants and help educate community members surrounding this valuable resource.

Check-in for the event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Bethesda Park – located at 225 Bethesda Church Road in Lawrenceville. The event is expected to conclude at 1 p.m. Volunteers are asked to register at this link. 

This is a joint initiative of Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) and Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (DWR), Great Gwinnett Wetlands is designed to grow awareness and promote the ongoing stewardship of Gwinnett’s numerous wetlands.

Schelly Marlatt, executive director of GC&B, says:  “Great Gwinnett Wetlands was a real passion project for my predecessor, Connie Wiggins. She understood the important role wetlands play – including serving as a viable habitat for our precious local flora and fauna. Connie set the bar high during the first two years of Great Gwinnett Wetlands, and we’ve continued to carry that torch today. 

“During last year’s event, we had multiple litter cleanup teams, privet removal teams, storm drain marking teams, and one habitat assessment study team fan out across the area. Over the course of four hours, 138 people collected 122 bags of trash, 40 tires, one mattress, 100 yards of pipe, and so much more. We’re hoping for an even bigger turnout of volunteers this year so we can have a larger impact. “

Water Resources Outreach Manager John Butler adds: “The event also commemorates Water Professionals Appreciation Day – recognizing the many water professionals that serve Gwinnett from both the public and private sectors. Every day, we produce more than 70 million gallons of water to be used by the residents and businesses of Gwinnett County. During Great Gwinnett Wetlands, teams from a number of environmental consulting firms will be represented and acknowledged.”

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