Trash, Treasures and More at the Fall Red Cedar River Cleanup
Lucy Cade
October 27, 2026
On October 16, Landscape Services at Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) set out on their fall clean-up of the Red Cedar River and surrounding areas to help maintain the natural beauty of the river and increase usability of the nearby walking trails.
Landscape Services hosts this Spartan tradition twice a year, in the spring and fall, inviting the Spartan community to volunteer their time to collect trash, branches and debris. Together, they remove what they can along the riverbank and in the river, helping to preserve the health of the ecosystem, support local wildlife and improve the beauty of our shared environment.
The Landscape Services team uses high-strength neodymium magnets attached to a durable synthetic rope, like a large fishing magnet, to “fish” metal items out of the river. The magnet trails along the riverbed collecting the smallest, and coolest, things. If they snag an item that’s too heavy, they hook it with a grapple for an easy retrieval. In rare cases, the team calls on an arborist and specialized equipment, such as a boat or bucket truck, to remove larger items.
This fall, IPF retrieved over 1000 pounds of litter and debris.
Over the years, the team has pulled a variety of items out of the river like scooters, shopping carts, small appliances like refrigerators and toaster ovens, trash, fallen tree and bikes… so many bikes!
During the most recent cleanup, they pulled three bicycles from the river, all within a mile of one another. Bikes that look in good shape are sent to the Surplus Store and Recycling Center to be recycled or reused. However, most items that are pulled from the river are too damaged to be reused. When potentially hazardous materials are discovered, Landscape Services coordinates with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to protect the health of the waterway.
Throughout the year, Landscape Services cares for the stretch of river that runs through Michigan State University’s East Lansing campus for litter and debris. They also partner with the City of Lansing and the Michigan Waterways Stewards to maintain the river just west of Brody Hall.
As a campus icon and a defining feature of MSU's landscape, the river plays an important role in the university's award-winning natural areas. The bi-annual event is a great way to improve the habitat and ecosystems of species living in or near the river, keeping MSU Spartan Green – literally. To participate, watch for the spring cleanup in April 2027.
