Do I have to
“adopt” a portion of land, or can I work in a different area each time? You are not required to adopt a specific portion of
land. We maintain lists and maps of known trash sites if you haven’t already
identified a site and would like to move around each time.
How much time must I commit if I
decide to adopt a portion of public land? We ask that you monitor your area at least two times
a year (usually in the spring and fall). Areas usually consist of one major cleanup
in the beginning and monitoring with minor litter control from then on.
Can my group just gather the
trash and leave it one place for removal by your program? The Adopt-a-Forest
program does not have a fleet of trucks or paid staff available to remove piles.
If the trash site is large enough, dumpsters may be ordered and dropped off on-site
and picked up soon after cleanup. Do not leave unattended dumpsters for extended
periods, or they will attract more trash. If the piles are not large enough to
warrant a dumpster, you may be able to partner with local groups who have access to pickup
trucks and/or trailers and are willing to transport the trash to a local landfill or
transfer station. The Adopt-a-Forest program maintains a database of
volunteers. If you need assistance in finding partners, feel free to contact
us.
Can we use ORVs in non-ORV areas
to assist with cleanups? Volunteers must follow all laws, regulations and
special conditions for the area they are working in. If exemptions are made and
ORV use is evident in an area, enforcement of unauthorized use becomes very
difficult. In addition, most illegally disposed trash is dumped using vehicles
licensed for road use; therefore, cleanup of trash using only road-licensed vehicles
should suffice.
Can I get reimbursed for my time,
gas, gloves, etc.? The
limited funding available can only be used for trash disposal fees. Tax laws do
allow for gas and out-of-pocket expense deductions for volunteer projects such as
these. Check with your tax-preparer for additional information.
What if I find evidence of
dumping (like an address) in the trash? If possible, take a photo of the pile before you
start cleanup. Proof of dumping will likely be in the form of an address on a
magazine or discarded mail. Send the proof of dumping and photo with your progress
report after project completion. If the item is too large to mail, make a note in
the comments area of your progress report and save the item for later follow-up. The
local authorities will be contacted with evidence of dumping. Keep in mind that
license plate registration information is purged by the Secretary of State after 30 months
of non-renewal. For abandoned vehicles, title identification numbers (VINs) are
maintained for only 10 years. If dumping appears to be recent and proof of offender
is very obvious, you may wish to leave the pile in place and call the DNR RAP Hotline at
1-800-292-7800.
What if I
witness dumping in progress? Do
NOT approach them! Your safety is first priority. If possible, get a vehicle
and driver description and license plate number along with a description of the
trash. Contact your local law enforcement or call the DNR RAP Hotline at:
1-800-292-7800 or your local law enforcement agency.
Are there funds available to
advertise cleanups? No.
However, the we maintain a volunteer website that we would be happy to advertise your
cleanup on. In addition, if you create a flyer announcing the event, we are able to
send the information to known volunteers in your specific
area.
What if I don’t want to donate
my time, but would like to help in some other way? There are other ways to assist:
Make a tax-deductible donation
Donate
tools, food, or large equipment to volunteer groups working in your area.
Encourage
local officials to make legal disposal readily available in your community.
Contact
Ada Takacs at 989-275-5151, Ext 2049.
