Young Calvin Earp thought he had a way to turn his summer vacation into more than just lazy days of fun and relaxation. Then the U.S. Forest Service put his good idea on hold, maybe until next year.

Earp, 17, hikes frequently on U.S. Service land just off of China Hat Road. Unfortunately, it’s a heavily used area for more than recreation. It’s become a place to unload garbage, old appliances and furniture, even animal carcasses for free. The county landfill is not far away, but some people apparently don’t care what they do to the public forests.

The resulting trash bothered Earp, so much so that he began a one-man attempt to clean up. He soon discovered the problem was so bad that even with the help of his father and stepmother he couldn’t get the job done. That’s when he decided to go public and try to get the larger Bend community involved in cleaning up the area.

It’s also when he ran smack up against the U.S. Forest Service, which has its rules even on voluntary cleanup parties. Forest officials told Earp he’d have to put his planned event off, suggesting he come back next year. The agency needed time to train the volunteers in trash pickup safety, it said.

That’s not as outlandish as it could sound. In that area, the Forest Service has found meth lab dumps, hazardous waste and used syringes.

Earp’s plans also had to be approved by a supervisor. Parking had to be discussed and planned in advance, and the Forest Service needed to know just who would be taking part in the cleanup effort. There were questions about liability and finding an available Forest Service employee. If he wished, Earp could take his family and 10 friends and pick up trash, which he planned to do.

We can understand the Forest Service’s reluctance to turn Earp and dozens of others loose on a cleanup mission, at least to a point. The agency is no doubt worried about someone getting hurt and perhaps getting sued. And it’s busy. Officials at the Deschutes National Forest have one of the largest volunteer programs of any national forest in Oregon and Washington.

At the same time, the young man was out to do some good, and those who were going to join him believed enough in his cause to sign waivers relieving others of liability should they be injured. The project was to have been a labor of love, one in which the reward would come in leaving the area better off than it was before. It’s a shame that instead of suggesting Earp wait a year, Forest Service professionals couldn’t find a way to make it happen before the end of summer.