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Cleanup efforts are underway in Bear Canyon just north of Garberville along Redwood Drive. CHP officers and Caltrans crews are at the scene. The houseless often use the steep terrain in the canyon that lies between Highway 101 and the South Fork of the Eel River to create campsites.

Crews parked at a large pullout near the site of today’s cleanup. [Photo by Lisa Music]

The sound of chainsaws echo from deep inside the steep canyon that is home to a creek that flows into the South Fork of the Eel River. There are two large refuse containers positioned at the top of Bear Canyon with signage from Katch Environmental, Inc. Workers are hauling trash and debris from the south side of the canyon up to the refuse containers.

A couch and a shopping cart among other items are at the foot of a steep stairway carved into the dirt cliffs. [Photo by Lisa Music]

Caltrans Public Information Officer for Humboldt and Del Norte counties, Myles Cochrane told us via email, “This week and next Caltrans crews will be cleaning up multiple encampments along U.S. 101 in the Garberville area of Humboldt County. The cleanup operations, in coordination with CHP and the County of Humboldt among others, will remedy unsafe and hazardous conditions.”

Trash under the bridge carrying Redwood Drive between Redway and Garberville. [Photo by Lisa Music]

He said, “Advance notices of the cleanups were provided on-site as required, along with information regarding services for persons experiencing homelessness.”

Items gathered in today’s cleanup. [Photo by Lisa Music]

As is the case with many encampments, trespassing, littering and fire issues have plagued the area where many seek refuge. Approximately six weeks ago, fire personnel responded to the area where a small vegetation fire was quickly extinguished. The site of that fire now has belongings secured under what appears to be a large tarp.

The bridge over Bear Canyon. [Photo by Lisa Music]

Local efforts through the Eel River Cleanup Project (ERCP) and other agencies have removed over a million pounds of trash located in waterways and homeless encampments in Southern Humboldt, yet the trash continues to accumulate, leading to tension among those that have differing views on how to deal with issues resulting from the encampments.

Across the canyon, a homeless man was organizing his encampment under the bridge. He told us that crews had not been on the north side of the canyon yet.

Crews on the site. [Photo by Lisa Music]

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