Six Mile Cove 2019

While Lake Mead National Recreation Area attracts visitors pursuing a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, the sandy beaches and cool water of southern Lake Mohave are particularly popular with families seeking relaxation and relief from the desert heat. Many of these visitors are not necessarily experienced outdoor enthusiasts in the traditional sense and may only be vaguely aware of the delicate ecosystems which surround them.  The severe and adverse human impact occurring at Six Mile Cove is not the result of conscious indifference but rather a consequence of limited understanding of best practices which can be addressed and reduced through education and outreach. While these issues have been observed in the park for many years, they have increased over time. In order to address these impacts, the park installed pit toilets in the area and brought in three roll off dumpsters to the area to collect the trash. Additionally, plastic bags were handed out by staff to encourage visitors to pick up and pack out their trash. These strategies helped, but the issues continue at Six Mile Cove and other locations around the park. During the summer months, the roll offs are full after long weekends and piles of trash and human waste are still frequently found around the beach.

Solution

• 128 People Educated Across 9 Programs
• 100 Volunteer Hours Facilitated
• 12 Cubic Yards of Trash and 1,000 lbs of Glass Collected
• 2 Educational Videos Produced

We worked closely with an interdepartmental committee from Lake Mead National Recreation Area to plan and execute a series of educational and strategic programming on-site and in surrounding communities.  The awareness workshops formally trained 28 individuals between the three sessions. Participants in the sessions included local community leaders, park staff and park volunteers. The goal of the sessions was to teach leaders of youth groups and individuals working with children about Leave No Trace principles and recommendations. Participants were taught about local Leave No Trace practices related to visiting the park. Additionally, attendees were shown activities and simple techniques used to teach these principles to young groups.  The service project resulted in significant improvements to Six Mile Cove. The result of the project was a noticeable reduction in visible litter in the area. The reduction of trash on the beach is expected to temporarily reduce littering in the area, which will provide the staff a window of opportunity to implement additional Leave No Trace education for further mitigation.