Project Right Choice cleaning up Razorback Greenway, substance use material
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — In Fayetteville, a nonprofit organization works to beautify areas of the Razorback Greenway trail system, with a focus on substance use material.
The Razorback Greenway spans forty miles across Northwest Arkansas, serving as a point of connection for outdoor enthusiasts. Sgt. Stephen Mauk with the Fayetteville Police Department says the trails are a key part of Fayetteville's identity.
"It's part of what makes Fayetteville, Fayetteville, just our abundance of parks and our beautiful natural scenery," Mauk said.
However, a dark reminder of an issue that continues to affect Fayetteville is noticeable on the trails.
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"You may expect to see some beer cans, beer bottles, that sort of thing. Lots of cigarette butts. Matter of fact, we've done some cleanups that have produced pounds of cigarette butts, which they're a small thing. So that's pretty impressive. Different sorts of tobacco products that could be used with marijuana products, there's occasionally needles and other things that are indicative of substance use," said Chris White, an organizer with Project Right Choice.
According to Mauk, Fayetteville police have noticed substance use on the trail before.
"It is an issue. You know, that's part of the reason why we have a full-time trails and parks patrol unit is just to provide a little bit of resources to that particular part of our city," said Mauk.
Because of this, Project Right Choice says it is continuing with its volunteer trail cleanup program this fall.
The program invites students like its intern, Piper Duncan, to take part in the cause.
"We do live in the Natural State, and we want our trails to be clean and that's a part of it," Duncan said.
While the project is an effort to beautify the area, it's also part of a preventative measure to keep people safe.
"We know families travel the trails, and again, not only to just beautify where we live and play but kind of prevent some of the potential danger, dangerous exposures, of those items to anybody in the community, families, students, people just living and working along the trails," White said.
Students interested in helping clean up the trails can receive community service hours through Project Right Choice.
