Our local group cleaned up Pine Creek last month and pulled out 150 pounds of junk. That trash was blocking the soil from doing its job, which is filtering water naturally. Now the ground can absorb rain better, reducing flooding downstream. Tbh, most folks only see the surface cleanup but miss this long term win. Daniel's right, that tough work pays off in ways we don't always notice right away. It's all about giving the ecosystem a chance to fix itself.
Actually restoring the soil health gets overlooked after these cleanups. All the trash removal helps the ground filter water better over time. That hidden benefit really makes the effort last.