LANSING, Mich. — People come to the Rose Lake State area to hunt, walk their dog, or just be in nature.
But recently they've been seeing a few things that they say don't belong in the environment.
"Anything from McDonald's bags, which there's no McDonald's around here, to beer cans, sweatshirts, you name it, it's out there," Joshua Wilson said.
Joshua Wilson has lived in the area for the past two years. He says he walks four miles along the dirt roads in the Rose Lake area every day to take in the outdoors. But lately, he's been seeing less nature and more garbage.
"It's disgusting. I moved out of Lansing roughly two years ago and it's comparable, it's definitely up there with a more urban area," he added.
Besides litter in the roads, a heap of trash sits in a roadside parking area. In it sits a toilet, some carpet, a broken bucket, food wrappers and more. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says they aren't happy about the garbage either.
"It's a shame to see it happen. The game area there for the public to enjoy. It's disheartening to find that some people are taking advantage of that and dumping litter," DNR Conservation Officer Katie Stawara said. "Not only is it unattractive for the guests, but it's bad for the environment, and it creates more work for the park personnel themselves."
The DNR is currently aware of the situation and is investigating. They want the message to get across: it's not allowed.
"It's an act that is 100 percent preventable, all they have to do is take it to a landfill to be disposed of," Stawara added.
"I think the awareness aspect would be great. People just need to recognize that it is destroying the area and it takes away from the beauty," Wilson said.
If you are caught dumping trash in Michigan, you can face a fine, depending on how much trash you throw into the environment.
The DNR is asking for the public's help with the issue. If you know anything or see anyone dumping trash, let them know at (800) 292-7800.
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