BOISE, Idaho — Trash in and along the Boise River — It’s something that no one wants to see, and one local man is stepping up to make our river a cleaner place for all.
“It’s surprising, it’s very surprising,” said Tim Hennessey, a local man dubbed the ‘Boise River Keeper.’
“I swim in the river, fish in the river, and once I saw there was an opportunity to kinda remove and retrieve a lot of this trash, that was it,” said Hennessey.
Neighborhood Reporter Allie Triepke joined Tim Hennessey, who says he’s been cleaning up the river for the last few years because it’s where he enjoys floating, fishing, and recreating.
After dozens of trips collecting trash, and ensuring a safer environment for the ducks, beavers, and fish who call the river home, he’s earned the title ‘Bosie River Keeper.’
“I’m happy to do it, gives me something to do and I like being out in nature,” said Hennessey.
Hennessey tells Idaho News 6 that Boise Parks and Rec does a good job of keeping the Greenbelt clean, but when the river’s water level goes down in the winter, hard-to-reach areas between the path and the river are revealed. That’s where Hennessey comes in.
“Like the trash we have right behind us, there would be no way to get that in the summer because we’d be standing in about three feet of water right now,” explained Hennessey.
“I have to ask, what's the craziest thing you’ve ever picked up?” asked Triepke. “A catalytic converter,” replied Hennessey.
“That’s expensive!” said Triepke.
“I spend a lot of time on this river so, it’s a great opportunity for me to get out and pay it forward,” said Hennessey.
Hennessey tells Idaho News 6 that an organized group will clean up the Boise River on Saturday, April 5.
