(UPDATE: 40 volunteers collected more than 5,600 kilograms of trash.)

The Four Wheel Drive Association of BC is aiming to collect 7,000 kilograms of garbage discarded around the backcountry in the Cowichan Valley on Sunday.

Colin Stuart, the association’s representative for Vancouver Island, told sixmountains.ca that much of the garbage is dumped by people not wanting to take unwanted items to a proper disposal facility.

“It’s trying to save a buck,” he said.

The list of items is endless, ranging from household trash to recreational vehicles, and everything in between.

The Cowichan Valley Community Cleanup runs from 9 am to 5 pm on June 14, and starts on Hillcrest Road, a short distance off Highway 18.

Participants in the cleanup will form teams and cover Crown forest lands, the Cowichan Valley Regional District, and Mosaic private lands.

Items collected will be taken to Bings Creek transfer station and GFL Environmental Depot.

Read more: https://4wdabc.ca/event/cowichan-valley-community-cleanup/

Sponsors include Tiger Towing, All Seasons Services, Dinter Nursery, and Cap-it Duncan.

Other recent cleanups involving various organizations have taken place at Whiskey Creek west of Parksville, Port Alberni, Campbell River and Ladysmith.

Read Larry Pynn’s 2023 article from The Globe and Mail entitled, ‘What I’ve found on remote logging roads speaks volumes about our respect for public lands:’ https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/76cf3337-e5cf-47a5-bece-cfb50704932c

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— Larry Pynn, June 10, 2026