Interest by the South Newton Fire Department was instrumental in the cleanup of this road on April 29, 2001.
The firemen used a four-wheeler to tow heavy items across the creek and up the slope. They used rakes and shovels to clean large amounts of broken glass in the former picnic area. Filled bags of trash were carted to a DCNR truck which then hauled it to a roll-off container on Shippensburg Road. Also assisting were the South Penn Enduro Riders and Paradise School for Boys. The Big Pond Road cleanup was coordinated with cleanups of the Shippensburg and Stillhouse Hollow Roads conducted the previous day.
Excess trash was taken by DCNR to the Washington Township Transfer Station. Trash was removed from a wooded area, and stumps were then placed strategically to deter future dumping.
Yard wastes were spread in the woodlands to decompose. Trash from the hillside 1/2 mile up the road was removed, as were tires from 1/4 mile off Big Pond Road on a jeep trail. Litter was bagged along 1.75 miles of road, as well as from a 1/4 mile of Huckleberry Trail.
Lunch was prepared by Brookside Market of Walnut Bottom, which also provided refreshments for the volunteers. After lunch, the firemen removed bulky wastes from Hogshead Road. Large rocks were placed at the former picnic area to deter further dumping. Rick's Repair Shop of Shippensburg provided hauling at a reduced cost.
Michaux State Forest is located in Cumberland, Franklin, and Adams Counties. It is comprised of 82,261 acres and is named in honor of Andre Michaux and his son, Francois Andre Michaux, the well-known French botanist.
The vast woodlands and natural areas are used by, among others, hunters, anglers, hikers, bikers, and picnickers. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail traverse about 40 miles through the forest.
Learn more about other illegal dump sites in state forests and parks.
