On Saturday, 3 October 2026, 22 volunteers joined the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve on Wisconsin Point for the semi-annual beach cleanup. Volunteers set out to collect trash from the beaches, parking lots, roadways, and trails around the area. A total of 71 lbs. of trash were collected, not counting a whole mattress found discarded off of Bear Creek Trail (~100lbs).
Lisa DeGuire, FOLSR board member, weighing bags of trash as they come in.
Photo Credit: Will Mowchan
Spirits were high throughout the morning, despite the on-again, off-again rain. Among the more typical trash found, cigarette butts, fragments of plastic, and a variety of cans, there were some more interesting finds as well. One volunteer discovered a brand-new pair of Crocs, while another found two large stereo speakers. Strangest of all, someone came across a 2025 tax return!
From the predictable to the unexpected, all of this trash has now been prevented from further disrupting important ecosystems and waterways.
The data collected on types of trash found will be sent to the Alliance for the Great Lakes for their study on litter found on Great Lakes beaches. This information can help decision makers better protect our lakes and create better packaging practices.
Volunteers and FOLSR staff around the trash collected from the day.
Photo Credit: Will Mowchan
The FOLSR adopted the beaches of Wisconsin Point through the City of Superior’s Adopt-A-Park program. FOLSR conducts beach cleanups at Wisconsin Point twice a year, once in fall and once in spring. If you would like to get involved, volunteer with FOLSR, or learn more about FOLSR, visit our website at folsr.org/events.
A big thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who came out for this beach cleanup despite the rain! We couldn’t do it without you.
Article by Piper Bandera