Tens of thousands of pounds of trash removed from illegal dump site

By WLOS staff

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    TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Volunteers collected more than 45,000 pounds of trash during a massive cleanup at an illegal dump site at Tucker Creek Falls.

More than 30 people joined the cleanup efforts at the Transylvania County waterfall.

The cleanup was organized by The Pisgah Conservancy, a non-profit dedicated to the well-being of the Pisgah Ranger District.

The trash they collected included a hot tub, toilets, box springs and couches. Organizers said the trash filled seven 25-foot dumpsters.

This was the inaugural project of TPC’s new Cleanup Fund, which started with the raffle of a donated banjo signed by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers last summer. The banjo raised more than $21,000 thanks to partners at Headwaters Outfitters, the Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club and Trails Carolina.

Tucker Creek Falls is on backroads off N.C. 215 in Western North Carolina near Balsam Grove.

“It is so encouraging to see this type of effort between conservation groups, volunteers, and those who just want to do something good come together and make amazing progress towards cleaning up the environment at a waterfall,” Kevin Adams, director of Waterfall Keepers of North Carolina, said in a news release. “We were delighted and honored to participate in this operation.”

Members from the Pisgah Climbing School also used their gear to pull out trash from the steep slopes that lead down to the waterfall.

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