STR Builds 10 New FLRS with Cub Scout Pack 26

Fort Drum Cub Scout Pack 26 hosted Save The River for a hands-on workshop that resulted in 10 brand new Fishing Line Recycling Sites (FLRS). If you’ve visited local boat launches or the Clayton Town Docks, you’ve likely seen these white PVC tubes. They may look simple, but to an osprey or a boat propeller, they act as a lifesaver. 

During the build, we talked to the Scouts about the reasons these bins are so important. Discarded monofilament fishing line is often called the silent killer because the line is often incredibly strong and nearly invisible. Birds like loons, terns, and herons can get tangled, which leads to injury or starvation. For boaters, old, discarded line is notorious for wrapping around props, leading to damaged lower unit seals. Additionally, monofilament is a high-density plastic that can take up to 600 years to break down, and when it does leaches microplastics into the environment. 

By building these 10 sites, Pack 26 isn’t just making it easier to clean up; they are preventing miles of plastic from ever entering our ecosystem. For many of these young residents from Fort Drum, this was an opportunity to connect with the waterways that define the north country. We believe that teaching the how and why of conservation to our youth, we are doing more than building recycling sites; we are building the next generation of Stewards.