remote site clean-ups
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The wilderness of the Northwest Territories offers unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure including camping, hiking, paddling and float flying. Unfortunately, areas which receive significant use often tend to accumulate litter and debris over time. In the interest of preserving and protecting the land for enjoyment by all, the Northwest Territories Flying Association (NWTFA) has identified remote site clean-up as a means by which our organization can make a positive impact.
NWTFA has identified various sites in need of garbage removal and general tidying. Group fly-outs serve as combined work parties and social gatherings where many hands make for quick work. |
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2024 CLEAN-UP: THISTLETHWAITE LAKE
NWTFA hosted work parties at Thistlethwaite Lake on September 11 and September 19, 2024 to conduct a remote site clean-up. On the first day, 5 volunteers visited the site to gather debris for removal. Travel to the site required both floatplanes and a boat. We spent 4 hours collecting approximately 275 kg of junk and debris and positioning it for subsequent removal by floatplane to Yellowknife for disposal. Garbage collected included scrap metal, discarded building materials, empty fuel barrels, styrofoam, and general litter. On the second day, 4 volunteers returned to the site to retrieve garbage and deliver it to the solid waste facility. NWTFA thanks Unsmoke Canada and The Great Outdoors Fund, for their support of this project. As a result of their assistance and the enthusiastic labour of volunteers from both NWTFA and CASARA, this site is once again an attractive spot to be enjoyed by kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts. View our photo gallery for more before, during and after pictures! |
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2023 CLEAN-UP: NORTH ARM TRAILHEAD AT BOUNDARY CREEK
Wildfire activity in the Yellowknife region during summer 2023, culminating in the full evacuation of the city in August, presented challenges and delays for NWTFA's 2023 remote site clean-up. As conditions after re-entry to the city remained smoky and not conducive to hosting a fly-out clean-up, NWTFA elected to host its 2023 clean-up at a location accessible by road. NWTFA identified a suitable clean-up site situate along Highway 3 behind the GNWT gravel shelter near Boundary Creek. As a well-travelled access point to the North Arm, the site is extensively used by snowmobilers, dog mushers, ATV riders, and cross-country skiers. Unfortunately, public use over time had created a dumping ground for refuse and debris including discarded snowmobiles, old tires, fuel drums, damaged building materials, and general trash. NWTFA hosted a work party on October 21, 2023 to conduct an extensive clean-up of the site. Eleven volunteers, most of whom are members of NWFTA and/or CASARA, participated in the clean-up. We spent approximately 7 hours collecting a total of 1200 kg of junk and debris, sorting and loading it into trailers and dump trucks for removal, and transporting it all to Yellowknife for disposal. Garbage collected filled 3 trailers and 2 large dump trucks and included scrap metal, discarded building materials, broken-down snowmobiles, empty fuel barrels, 50 tires, old household appliances, and general litter. All metal refuse was delivered to the metal recycling depot and the remainder of the garbage was taken to the solid waste facility. NWTFA thanks to Unsmoke Canada, The Great Outdoors Fund, the Department of Infrastructure of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the City of Yellowknife, and Precision North Recycling for their support of this project. As a result of their assistance and the collective effort of our volunteers, this site is once again a suitable and safe trailhead providing access to wilderness recreation in the North Arm area. View our photo gallery for before, after and during pictures! Check out Cabin Radio's story "Aviators and volunteers remove tons of waste from North Arm trailhead" for more information about this project. For more information on the Unsmoke Canada initiative to tackle trash in the wilderness, refer to its press release announcing organizations selected to receive support in 2023. |
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2022 CLEAN-UP: LOWER PENSIVE LAKE
NWTFA members visited Lower Pensive Lake by floatplane on June 29, 2022 to assess its need and potential for a remote site clean-up. This lake is on the Pensive Lakes wilderness paddling route which consists of upstream creeks, lakes, rapids and portaging suitable for experienced resident and visiting paddlers. The selected clean-up site is a pretty location with a sandy beach suitable for parking of several floatplanes. Unfortunately, an abandoned shelter left on the site had resulted in a plethora of damaged building materials, broken glass, and general trash requiring removal. NWTFA hosted a fly-out work party on July 16, 2022 to conduct a clean-up of the site. Seven volunteers, being members of NWFTA and/or CASARA, travelled to the site in member floatplanes to participate in the clean-up. We spent approximately 5 hours collecting a total of 1200 kg of debris, hauling it all down the esker to the beach, and loading it onto a Twin Otter for removal to the Yellowknife solid waste facility. With a bit of extra time, we also used a few salvaged timbers and donated logs to reconstruct benches around an existing firepit. NWTFA thanks Unsmoke Canada, The Great Outdoors Fund and Air Tindi for their support of this project. Through their assistance and the collective effort of our volunteers and the Air Tindi pilots, the site is once again a lovely wilderness destination with a pristine beach and scenic esker. View our photo gallery for lots of before, during and after pictures! Check out Cabin Radio's story "NWT aviators airlift more than a ton of garbage from lake" for more information about the project. To learn more about the Unsmoke Canada initiative to tackle trash in the wilderness, refer to its press release announcing organizations selected to receive support in 2022. |
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2019 CLEAN-UP: FISHING LAKE
Fishing Lake is a popular fishing and camping destination for many NWTFA members and is frequently visited by Yellowknife residents and tourists wishing to enjoy the pristine wilderness of the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, a significant amount of junk and debris has accumulated on the northern beach over recent years. NWTFA members spent a sunny day at Fishing Lake on July 22, 2019 for a fly-out picnic and work party. Members cleaned up a considerable amount of garbage littering the beach and shack areas and removed it from the site in their floatplanes. Junk included beer cans, bits of food wrapping, cigarette butts, a broken toilet seat, shredded tarps, and beat up metal pipe. The site is now safer and more attractive for all visitors.
Fishing Lake is a popular fishing and camping destination for many NWTFA members and is frequently visited by Yellowknife residents and tourists wishing to enjoy the pristine wilderness of the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, a significant amount of junk and debris has accumulated on the northern beach over recent years. NWTFA members spent a sunny day at Fishing Lake on July 22, 2019 for a fly-out picnic and work party. Members cleaned up a considerable amount of garbage littering the beach and shack areas and removed it from the site in their floatplanes. Junk included beer cans, bits of food wrapping, cigarette butts, a broken toilet seat, shredded tarps, and beat up metal pipe. The site is now safer and more attractive for all visitors.
