If you鈥檝e traveled along I-5 in Southern Oregon, you鈥檝e likely driven alongside Bear Creek, running all the way from Ashland to the Rouge River.
Since 2015, have organized cleanup events all along the stream; home to many fish and bird species.
Steve Lambert is the director of the Jackson County Roads and Parks department.
鈥淎 lot of people connect with Bear Creek 鈥� cause it follows I-5,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey really see it on a daily basis and wanna give back.鈥�
The clean-up happens a little over a week after a fire and oil spill at a Pacific Pride fuel depot in downtown Medford.
Lambert says some of Saturday鈥檚 clean-up events near the spill had to be canceled.
鈥淭he main focus is a healthy Bear Creek,鈥� says Lambert. 鈥淪o we don鈥檛 wanna get in the way of their crews, and we don鈥檛 want their crews to limit the work that our volunteers can do. So let鈥檚 just spread out and focus on what we all do best.鈥�
EPA officials say most of the oil has been removed from Bear Creek, but some environmental groups are still monitoring wildlife in the area.
Lambert says just over 100 volunteers have signed up for this weekend鈥檚 Earth Week clean-up.
Volunteers will be picking up trash and removing invasive plants along the stream. Last year, they collected nearly 7,000 pounds of waste across 10 miles.
