Mission & Purpose

Mission – To promote appreciation, stewardship and naturalizing of our local urban stream corridors.

Purpose – To engage the community in awareness and responsibility of naturalizing and sustaining our waterways through organized litter clean up, education and removal of invasive species to restore natural habitat and showcase the amenity value of a healthy ecosystem.

Event Information

2021 Update
​We have been closely following the Center for Disease Control guidelines on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). To continue to be proactive toward our community’s health, we have decided to postpone this years Boneyard Creek Community Day.  We hope to return in 2022 marking our 15th year! 

Still like to help? 
We can help coordinate small groups who wish to volunteer in certain areas that fit your schedule.

Location sites include:
Scott Park
Kaufman Lake/Heritage Park
Contact: remington.rock@champaignparks.org

U of I Campus
Contact: bliggett@illinois.edu

Thank you to the sponsors, volunteers, and organizers who helped make past Boneyard Creek Community Day events successful!

The Boneyard Creek Community Day event is possible because of our many community volunteers. Volunteers clean up litter and non-native plants from areas all over Champaign Urbana. Work sites vary from those suitable for younger children to more challenging sites.
​
For more information and potential weather related delays/cancellation please see our Facebook event the morning of the clean-up.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

Cleanup activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. 

Lunch, music, and educational displays at Scott Park will be provided following the clean-up.

What should I wear?

Dress to work outside. No open-toed shoes. Some projects may involve getting into the creek. Those participants should wear boots. Please bring your own refillable water bottle and please wear your orange Boneyard shirt from a previous year if you have one.

If you don't want to keep your orange shirt, please return it to us at the
end of the event in the bins at Scott Park.

Why are we doing this?

Boneyard Creek Community Day is a way to celebrate and protect our lakes and streams by engaging volunteers to pitch in and clean. Litter looks bad and leads to more litter. It clogs storm drains causing local flooding and ends up in receiving streams harming aquatic life. This event helps remind us all to be responsible citizens and put trash in its place.

Register


Registration is closed.
 We have been closely following the Center for Disease Control guidelines on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). To continue to be proactive toward our community’s health, we have decided to postpone this years Boneyard Creek Community Day.  We hope to return in 2022 marking our 15th year! 

Still like to help? 
We can help coordinate small groups who wish to volunteer in certain areas that fit your schedule.
Location sites include:
Scott Park
Kaufman Lake/Heritage Park
Contact: remington.rock@champaignparks.org

U of I Campus
Contact: bliggett@illinois.edu

Sponsors 

The Boneyard Creek Community Day is possible because of generous sponsorship from community businesses and organizations. If you would like to become a Sponsor please see the BCCD flyer for additional information.
We are so grateful for our 2019 Sponsors! 

Organizers

Education

Boneyard Creek Community Day is proud to have many student participants. Please join us after the clean-up for lunch, music, and educational displays suitable for all ages at Scott Park.

Accomplishments

2019 Totals:
  • Volunteers: 392
  • Litter Removal Area: 468.25 acres
  • Shoreline Clean-up: 6.25 miles
  • Litter Collected: 30 cubic yards
  • Invasive Species Removal: 8 acres

Photos

These photos have been provided by an amazing group of volunteer photographers:
  • Eliana Brown
  • Renee Weitekamp
  • Jim McGuire
  • Karen Scott
  • Rob Law
  • Travis Tate
  • Anna Derocher​​

2019 Photos

Arts

In 2013, local artists painted 9 murals as a gentle reminder to put trash in its place. Sponsors included: Public Art League, Champaign County Design & Conservation Foundation, Champaign County Soil & Water Conservation District, City of Champaign, Urbana Park District, and University of Illinois. 

The Map below shows the mural locations.

Contact Information 

Please direct questions to:
Zoe Southlynn-Savage: zoe.southlynn@champaignparks.com
Chris Billing: CBilling@bernsclancy.com