By Wil Rainer, Cahaba River Society’s Field Programs Director. Wil plans and leads recreation trips and river restoration projects to inspire love for, protect, and restore the Cahaba River.

Volunteers made tremendous progress in restoring the Cahaba River in 2024. 475 volunteers participated in free opportunities that are open to anyone. We also worked with 30 organizations to schedule and organize group volunteer opportunities, host fundraisers, or collect donations. During these open and group volunteer events, we canoed, walked, tripped, crawled, hopped, and dragged ourselves over shoals, through thickets, and around strainers to remove 16,229 pounds of litter, recyclables, and invasive species. 

Remove and Recycle

We sort everything we collect in river cleanups. About ⅓ of the material we remove can be recycled. 

• Used tires go to Mavis Tires & Brakes, where they begin the interesting journey of tire recycling and reclamation. 
• Some items are donated to the Birmingham Rage Room on 7th Ave for “creative disposal.”
• Glass is either dropped off at the Birmingham Rage Room or given to local artists who create beautiful jewelry and fun trinkets. 
• Plastic bottles and aluminum cans go to the Birmingham Recycling Center or the UAB Recycling Center. 

Invasive Plant Removal and Ecosystem Restoration

Invasive species are a significant threat to native ecosystems. Wild taro (Colocasia esculenta) propagates from cuttings and can crowd out native species like Cahaba lilies. We partnered with Adventure Scientists on a citizen science survey to document wild taro populations for removal. While wild taro can destroy native ecosystems, it is a great addition to compost bins. Cahaba River Society has partnered recently with an organization that will connect us with local farmers who can compost some of what we remove from the riverbank.

Earth Week 2024

Cahaba River Society’s 2nd Annual Earth Week programs drew over 230 volunteers who removed 6,000 lbs of litter and invasive species. More than 15 organizations engaged in supporting our Earth Week 2024 efforts financially.

• 4/22/2024 Leeds Memorial Park Earth Week 
• 4/23/2024 Refuge Earth Week Cleanup 
• 4/24/2024 Old Cahawba Earth Week Cleanup
• 4/25/2024 Loch Haven Preserve Earth Week 
• 4/26/2024 Shades Creek Earth Week Cleanup 

Mom’s Basement Leads Volunteer Efforts

Mom’s Basement went above and beyond in 2024! This local Birmingham bar planned and coordinated a series of cleanups that helped Cahaba River Society connect with new volunteers and supporters. We are grateful to Mom’s for their extraordinary support for the Cahaba River.

• May 19th Bishop’s Creek Cleanup in Pelham
• June 22nd Cleanup in Hoover
• July 20th Fivemile Creek Cleanup
• August 17th Cleanup at US 280
• September 14th Buck Creek Cleanup in Pelham
• October 6th Cleanup in Liberty Park

Volunteer Activities 

We cleaned from the watershed’s upper reaches along Pinchgut Creek, Dry Creek, the Little Cahaba River, and the Cahaba River in Leeds and Trussville to the Cahaba’s confluence with the Alabama River at Old Cahawba. We are incredibly grateful to partner organizations like Milo’s Tea, Aviation Gin, and Regions Bank for coordinating group activities and promoting our work on behalf of the Cahaba River. 

• February 17th Turkey Creek Live Staking 
• March 16th Hoover East Access Improvement 
• March 19th Restoration at the Grant’s Mill Road Access
• April 18th HOAC Canoe Cleanup 
• June 18th Aviation Gin Cleanup 
• September 18th Regions Cleanup
• September 20th Milo’s Tea Cleanup in Hoover
• October 3rd RMS Canoe Cleanup