Natural Allies: UC Volunteers Help Clean Up Mill Creek

While many people are busy with spring cleanup projects around the house and garden, University of Cincinnati faculty, students and alumni tackled a much bigger cleanup effort.

They spent a day scavenging the banks of Mill Creek for trash and debris, helping to restore the natural beauty of what's been called one of Ohio's most threatened waterways.

UC biology professor Michael Miller has helped with the Mill Creek cleanup for the last four years.

Here, he works with UC alumnus Bob Mason to pull up some of the heaviest junk.

The 2002 cleanup turned up an incredible collection of trash, including toilet, a Rambler engine block, garden tractor, washing machine, large electrical transformer, bicycles, tires, wheel rims, roofing, and a various pieces of iron and plastic pipe.

Fifth year student Benjamin Jones needed knee-high boots and rubber gloves to work on one section of the Mill Creek. Jones has a joint major in environmental studies and geography.

He discovered his canoe filled up quickly with trash while floating down the creek as part of the cleanup crew.

University of Cincinnati alumnus Bernard J. Moller returned for his fourth year to help out with the Mill Creek cleanup. Moller earned a master of science degree from UC and worked here for many years as a research associate.

This weekend, he used a special pole to retrieve plastic trash hanging from the trees lining the banks of the Mill Creek.