Parks Division

• Host and sponsor a litter sweep team of volunteers twice a year which cleans up over 1.5 miles of shoreline at Oxford Dam and Riverbend Park.
• Host environment education and stewardship programs for over 5,000 participants per year.
• Manage over 600 acres of natural habitat. Within the 600 acres are wildlife food plts, riparian buffers, and managed forest areas that protect soil from erosion, and improve air and water quality.
• Administer pesticide and inorganic fertilizer free landscapes and facilities.
• Catawba Valley Community College and Lenoir-Rhyne College use Riverbend and Bakers Mountain Parks for environmental research.
• Many parks materials were developed from recycled materials (e.g. picnic tables are made from recycled plastic lumber).

Public Health Department

• Perform environmental awareness contest. The following are a few of the contests:
  • Ozone Contest - Promotes air quality friendly practices for Catawba County employees.
  • Air quality question of the month - Heighten awareness of air quality issues for Catawba County employees.
  • Leadership Catawba County Contest - Encourages Catawba County leaders to adopt environmentaly friendly practices.
• Organize Early Action Compact Program, which addresses air quality issues in Catawba County.
• Perform tours for second graders from around the County in the Public Health Department offices. During the tour, air quality awareness is discussed with the children.
• Put into operation an air quality committee that educates the public on air quality issues through press releases, community presentations, and Catawba County e-newsletter.
• The “last one out-lights out,” i.e., whoever leaves last in the evening turns out the lights.
• Continue to pursue field basing of Public Health Staff.
• Web/video conferencing to reduce mileage costs.