The Eastman ATV Association is calling on local litterbugs to clean up their act.

Since the association took control of the quad trails in eastern Manitoba several years ago, President Don Eidse says they have worked tirelessly at keeping it spotless; no small task considering that their staging area in the RM of Reynolds was formerly an illegal dumping ground. With a steely determination, Eidse and his fellow off-roading enthusiasts would bring garbage bags with them on their rides, methodically purging the area of trash. Eventually, there was nothing left to purge.

“Now that we have our own trails and we maintain them along with our members, you will find no garbage on our trails anywhere," he states. "They are immaculate. It’s actually really quite stunning how it has transformed.”

While they were successful in permanently cleaning the trails, Eidse says the issue at their main gathering spot has recently returned.

“What’s happening is people are cleaning out their houses and dropping their waste off right in our staging area,” he says. “For some, I believe it is out of convenience, and for others, it is just this old-school way of thinking: ‘that is where we have dumped garbage for years and we are just going to keep on doing it'.”

Material discarded in region within the past few months includes toys, mattresses, bed frames, bicycles, and animal carcasses. In their frustration, Eidse says club members have taken to social media to campaign against such reckless littering. Meanwhile, he personally is looking to set up trail cameras to catch the offenders.

“I’m hoping the people who are doing this will maybe feel a sense of shame,” says Eidse.

The Eastman ATV Association has dozens of members living anywhere from Woodridge to Lac du Bonnet. Eidse stresses that these riders are good people who care about their communities and should not be disrespected in this way.