Garlic mustard. (Courtesy photo)
Approximately 200 people, in 107 groups, participated in this year’s townwide roadside trash cleanup and garlic mustard pull. With 76% of the reports in, we can report that volunteers collected 294 bags of trash and garlic mustard. While this is fewer than the 540 bags reported in 2024, the lower number may be due to rain on the Saturday and the event coinciding with school vacation. Volunteers also reported finding less trash this year. Meanwhile volunteers continue to pull invasive garlic mustard—and many volunteers reported seeing less garlic mustard.
Youth groups made a strong showing again this year with the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts collecting trash from town center, the Common, sports fields, the town beach, and some key roads. We’d like to extend special thanks to Westward Orchards for the use of their parking lot for supply handout; HUB Foundation in Chelmsford for the donation of high-visibility vests for the volunteers; the Select Board for their financial support; and the DPW crew who collect the bags from all of Harvard’s roads: Thank you all!
We are amazed each year by the number of our neighbors who join the cleanup and pitch in to keep Harvard’s roadsides clear of litter and garlic mustard. The cleanup wouldn’t be possible without you. But another thank-you is due to all of Harvard’s residents who pick up trash from our roadsides and pull garlic mustard all year long. We know you’re out there.
Libby Levison
for the Cleanup Committee
