Wake Forest Volunteers to Clean Spring Branch Creek During Regional Creek Week

More than 25 volunteers have already filled the sign-up roster for a community litter cleanup along Spring Branch Creek in downtown Wake Forest, scheduled for Saturday, March 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. as part of Regional Creek Week.

Nick Nolte, the Town's Stormwater Utility Manager, will lead the effort downstream of Miller Park, guiding participants as far as the group can reach before 3 p.m., stopping no further than the roundabout at East Holding Avenue. Beyond the physical cleanup, Nolte will walk volunteers through the stream restoration components built into the recent Miller Park upgrades, explaining how those design features are intended to improve water quality and support a healthier aquatic ecosystem.

The terrain will be demanding. Volunteers may need to walk directly in the stream bed, climb stream banks, or navigate uneven ground to reach littered areas. The group will also cross South Franklin Street to continue downstream, which is why the Town is recommending high-visibility clothing. Participants are expected to bring their own muck boots or waders; the Town will supply grabbers and trash bags. Town staff will handle disposal of everything collected.

Parking is available at Town Hall lots along Brooks Street, along Taylor Street behind Town Hall, and in the lot directly adjacent to the building. The Town's event page includes an explicit warning: do not park on Wake Electric property, even though it sits closest to the starting point. Volunteers found parked there may be asked to move before the cleanup begins.

The Wake Forest event falls on the final day of the 2026 Regional Creek Week, which brings cleanup and stewardship activities across the Triangle from March 14 through March 21. Nora Skinner, environmental programs coordinator for the Town of Apex, which is participating in Creek Week for the first time this year, described the week's purpose simply: "I would say it's just a fun week to really celebrate our waterways. I think everybody wants to go outside and reconnect with nature, so we're happy to provide some of those experiences."

The Spring Branch cleanup fits within Wake County's broader Big Sweep program, which has organized volunteer cleanups for more than 35 years. In 2025, Big Sweep drew 1,321 volunteers across 46 events in Wake County, logging 4,006 hours of work valued at $134,160.90 and removing 47,937 pounds of litter, including 13,554 pounds of recyclables and 433 tires. Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings credited the program's reach beyond trash removal. "Big Sweep is about more than picking up trash," Stallings said. "It's about coming together as a community to protect our water that sustains us all. Every volunteer makes a visible, lasting impact on our streams, parks and wetlands."

Anyone who missed the Wake Forest sign-up window can visit the Town's Adopt-A-Stream webpage for information on other ongoing stream-cleaning opportunities in the area.