Talkin’ Trash: Billings Field Office Tackles Abandoned Dump Sites

What happens when trash is left on public land? Unfortunately, it may harm wildlife, damage vegetation, and ruin other visitors’ experiences. It is also illegal to leave trash on public land. When trash dumps are reported or found by BLM employees it often takes a lot of work from many people to clean the site up!

Billings Field Office Outdoor Recreation Planner Alex Nancarrow and Maintenance Worker Mark Nebeker recently organized two cleanups of abandoned trash dumps on BLM land.

The first cleanup took place on June 11 near the town of Belfry and consisted of household trash and deer carcasses. Nancarrow and Nebeker used a mini skid steer to pick up most of the trash, removing a total of 2,140 pounds. Later, Park Ranger Don Galvin worked with a Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) Youth Crew to reclaim the vegetation that had been damaged.

The second cleanup was on June 17 at Acton Recreation Area. A visitor abandoned a camp they had built and used for a significant period of time within the recreation area. Nancarrow, Nebeker, and six Montana Conservation Corps members disassembled the camp and walked the garbage back to the road. The crew removed a total of 1,200 pounds on this cleanup. The MCC members later returned to reclaim vegetation damaged during the cleanup.

BLM employees, volunteers, and partners work hard to maintain your public land, but we need your help to protect our natural resources for current and future generations. Please reach out to your local BLM Field Office if you notice trash dumps or illegal activity occurring on your public land.