The end of May 2018 Jeff Davis County 4-H held Classy Clovers a summer fun program for youth. Eighteen Jeff Davis County youth and seven Montgomery County 4-H members were present. As part of this event, youth participated in a Pond and River Ecology lesson. Extension Agents presented material on the balance in the ecosystems of various bodies of water. After the lesson and games, the kids were involved in making the buoys for the River Pollution Tracking Project. Using empty Gatorade bottles, we attached directions to the inside and filled them with foam. Then, the students had the opportunity to write personal messages to those that may find the buoy in the river. They came up with #4Hcleanup to use for this event.
It took some time to finish all 60 of the buoys and get permission to release them into the river. On Wednesday, September 12, 2018 we were finally able to get the buoys into the water. 4-H youth were excited to throw them into action. We released 30 into the Ocmulgee River at Burkett’s Ferry. Then we traveled to Towns Bluff and released the other 30 buoys. We plan to map those found and reported so we can demonstrate how far things in the river travel. At the end of this project we expect that the students will see the impact of their actions and gain a positive perspective on ecosystems and preventing pollution.
If you spot a buoy, please take the time to report its number and location by following the directions on the bottle. Please discard the bottle appropriately. You can txt 912-253-5356 or email: jenthomp@uga.edu with the information. If you would like to learn more about Jeff Davis County 4-H give us a call at 912-375-6648 or stop by our office next to the courthouse.