Lexmark employees have been volunteering to clean up the portion of the Cane Run Creek and its tributaries that flow through the headquarter's property in Lexington, Kentucky since 2007. This annual activity began as an effort led by the Corporate Sustainability Team to assist in improving environmental conditions in the waterway that had been placed on Kentucky's list of impaired streams. Each year a significant amount of trash and debris is removed from the streams and stream banks. The continued dedication to this effort is an outward demonstration of Lexmark's commitment to the communities in which we live and work better places. Periodically, volunteers work on stream bank restoration by removing invasive honeysuckle along the stream to allow native species to take over and return the watershed to a more native habitat for various wildlife. Interestingly, over the years that this clean up has been held more and more native wildlife has re-established itself in this portion of the watershed, including turtles, fish, geese, fox, snakes, deer, crawdads and more.
The Cane Run Watershed is approximately 29,000 acres and a significant portion of the creek's flow disappears underground. Along the creek bottom, there are small cracks and crevices in the limestone bedrock where the creek seeps underground and recharges the Royal Spring Aquifer. This important water resource supplies water to the aquifer, which is the major source of drinking water for Georgetown, Kentucky, a neighboring city.
A portion of the stream runs parallel to a popular biking and walking trail in the community, Legacy Trail. The trail is enjoyed by the larger community, as well as Lexmarkers and is an excellent way to enjoy the natural beauty of the Cane Run Creek.
