Young couple cleans up Eisenhower Park

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A young couple decided to clean up a Harris County park after they found part of the wooded areas filled with trash.

Natalie Templeman and Shawn Fulton visited Dwight Eisenhower park in northeast Harris County recently and were disappointed by the amount of trash scattered in the woods and near the water.

"I don't understand these people," Fulton said. "I don't know why you would do this."

Fulton posted a complaint on social media, asking the Houston community for help picking up the trash, but no one but his girlfriend agreed to help. They decided they would volunteer anyway.

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"It has a lot of neat scenery to it and a lot of really natural, wild landscape," Templeman said. "Unfortunately, the trash is starting to obscure that in parts."

The pair found beer bottles, chip bags, old shoes and even a diaper tossed on the ground. They know they're making a small dent in the problem, but it's worth it to them.

"At the end of the day, we'll be able to turn around and look back on everything we cleaned up, and at least for those five minutes, everything will be as it should be," Templeman said.

Harris County Commissioner Ellis said he appreciates the volunteer efforts.

"Harris County Precinct One Crews work hard to clean and maintain our parks, including the grounds, the restrooms and the community centers," Ellis said in a statement. "By design, Eisenhower Park is a heavily wooded, 682-acre park with a naturalistic setting. There is some debris in areas that has not been immediately removed, but our dedicated staff members will get to it."