LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - GeorgiaChron -- As one of the largest counties in Georgia's Piedmont Region, Gwinnett County is abundant with wetlands that surround local creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Wetlands play several significant roles in an area's ecology. These "saturated lands" act as sponges – collecting and storing excess water to help prevent flooding. They also serve as distinct ecosystems that are habitats for local flora and fauna. First proposed by former Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Executive Director Connie Wiggins, Great Gwinnett Wetlands was launched in 2015 to study and protect area wetlands. Marking 10 years since its launch, this year's Great Gwinnett Wetlands event is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 - cohosted by Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B) and the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (DWR).

"Since its inception, Great Gwinnett Wetlands has engaged more than 1,250 volunteers, who have collected more than 150 tires and roughly 1,570 bags of litter, weighing an estimated 28,630 pounds," said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. "Each year, we strive to evolve this event based on lessons learned from the previous year. Last year, we were excited to incorporate a WaterGoat at Sweetwater Creek. It's a chain of floating buoys anchored across a body of water that is designed to skim the surface for floating trash. The debris builds up behind the WaterGoat so our volunteers and team members can easily remove the trash for proper disposal. This year, we are expanding the scope of Great Gwinnett Wetlands beyond one site to encompass multiple locations. We need as many volunteers as possible to make our 10^th annual event the best one yet."

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Multiple teams of volunteers will fan out across three locations to collect water quality data, remove litter, and cut back invasive privet that choke the health of the wetlands. Marlatt warned that – given the nature of wetlands - much of the area where the work will be performed is wet and muddy. She asked volunteers to plan accordingly by wearing closed-toe shoes – preferably hiking boots or muck/rain boots – and clothes they won't mind getting dirty. She also suggested they bring a snack and water bottle to stay hydrated. Check-in for Great Gwinnett Wetlands will be at 8:30 a.m. on May 4. The cleanup is expected to conclude at 1 p.m. Locations for the cleanup include Sweetwater Creek at Omega Drive, Bethesda Park, and Beaver Ruin Wetlands. Marlatt invites anyone interested to register for the location of their choosing through Volunteer Gwinnett (https://www.cervistech.com/acts/console.php?console_id=0024&console_type=event). Volunteers will receive a commemorative t-shirt to thank them for their participation.

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Great Gwinnett Wetlands (https://gwinnettcb.org/events/great-gwinnett-wetlands/) is vital to the ongoing stewardship of Gwinnett's numerous wetlands. To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and its upcoming events, please visit www.GwinnettCB.org.