When 50 volunteers working with the Okanagan Forest Task Force headed into the bush last weekend to clean up a campsite abandoned by a local man who went missing three years ago, they found inspiration.
After clearing Terrance Michael Landon's campsite and cabin, they went on to three other locations, one of which included four vehicles and a lot of garbage. Spread out all over the dump site there were also many needles and spilled chemicals.
"It was a complete disaster and and something needs to be done with the land now as there are chemicals all over the ground there," said Kane Blake, president of the Okanagan Forest Task Force.
The group managed to collect a whopping 10.5 ton's of scrap steel form our local forests that day. This fast growing group has taken cleaning our forest and illegal dump sites to a whole new level.
"It is our pleasure and we do it for the community and the wildlife but its sad that we have to and that some people just don't seem to care about our forests," said Blake.
"Without all of the amazing volunteers this clean-up wouldn't have been possible. We had an excellent turnout and our biggest yet of about 50 people and that it's great work with an amazing bunch of people."
Terrance Michael Landon, 57, was last seen on Dec. 26, 2013 at a remote campsite east of Kelowna near James Lake.
RCMP said Landon had been living in a tent trailer on Crown land for several months and was building a cabin in the woods.
According to police a missing person report was filed on June 8, 2014. A friend had found his trailer and vehicle, but Landon was gone.
Blake said that it wouldn't have been possible to do the cleanup without the donation from Winn rentals for the equipment, EnviroMetal towing for bringing a flat deck tow truck, ABC recycling and the big magnet truck again along with an 80 yard bin, Mr Mozzarella pizza for the great lunch, 4 Less disposal for supplying a 40 yard bin, and the RDCO for waving all dump fees and arranging the bin.
The group is currently looking for a trailer so they are able to get more garbage through out the week and not just on weekends. If you would like to volunteer, donate or learn more, visit the Okanagan Forest Task Force Facebook page.