The Okanagan Forest Task Force is targeting illegal dumpsites with a new website and app. (Contributed photo)
Thanks to the community’s support and a group of dedicated volunteers with the ambitious goal of cleaning up the outdoors across the Okanagan Valley, the Okanagan Forest Task Force (OFTF) is growing exponentially — which means their online presence needs to grow too.
Complete with photos, videos and even a new app, the OFTF is ready to release a website that targets illegal dumps and finds those willing to clean up the mess others leave behind. Spokesperson Kane Blake says since the first official clean-up effort of the year, support for OFTF has been through the roof and the now charitable organization is growing larger than organizers could have ever dreamed up.
“In our first four-months of existence we have managed to remove 26,488 pounds of garbage and pulled out 25,480 pounds of scrap metal,” said Blake. “That is an amazing 51,928 pounds of waste that was illegally dumped in the forests.”
Unfortunately, these efforts are only the tip of the iceberg in cleaning up a problem that has become a concern of disturbing proportions in natural areas around B.C.
“This new website will help show people through galleries and videos about this problem and hopefully bring more awareness to the issue of illegal dumping in the back country,” explained Blake.
Find out how you can help OFTF by visiting www.okanaganforesttaskforce.com or on their Facebook group.
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