The 5th Annual Tijuana River Action Month Tackles a River of Trash

During Tijuana River Action Month, hundreds of volunteers will gather from September 20 to October 11 to clean up the massive amounts of ocean-bound trash and debris currently clogging the Tijuana River Valley.

The Tijuana River Action Network (TRAN) will address the sediment, trash and other pollutants carried in storm water run-off that threatens the Tijuana River Valley’s valuable ecological, cultural, recreational, and economic resources.

Local organizations that comprise the bi-national TRAN collaboration include 4Walls International, CA State Parks, I Love a Clean San Diego, Friends of Friendship Park, The San Diego Foundation, Surfrider San Diego, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, WILDCOAST, Tijuana Calidad de Vida, Pronatura del Noroeste, Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental, Remexmar, and Papalotzin.

These entities are committed to cross-border collaboration to restore the Tijuana River watershed by engaging in outreach, education and advocacy.

In addition, A Reason to Survive (ARTS) is partnering with California State Parks and The San Diego Foundation to build a community art piece that will beautify the entrance of Border Field State Park along the U.S.-Mexico border in Imperial Beach.

The project, which also is part of the Tijuana River Action Month activity schedule, will serve as an aesthetic installment and an educational opportunity for visitors to learn more about the estuary habitat. ARTS will be working with students at Southwest High School to create custom ceramic tiles for the mosaic art piece. This experience provides an opportunity for high school students to become civically engaged in their community and stewards of this unique coastal habitat.

“The San Diego Foundation Opening the Outdoors program aims to protect, connect, and make accessible open spaces and the goal of the Tijuana River Action Network is to recognize key efforts and investments to clean up and restore the Tijuana River, making this a natural partnership,” reported Dr. Emily Young, Interim Vice President of the Foundation Center for Civic Engagement.

TRAN will also plant native vegetation, lead nature walks, remove invasive species, build park amenities out of trash, and hold a volunteer appreciation party at Monument Mesa with elected officials. Additionally, the bi-national series of education and stewardship events will benefit the shared Tijuana River Watershed. Visit www.tjriveraction.net for a list of activities, locations, dates, times, and details about events occurring during Tijuana River Action Month.

These Tijuana River Clean-ups build on last year’s Border Gateway to Nature projects when The San Diego Foundation partnered with the Tijuana Estuary National Estuarine Research Reserve, California State Parks and 4Walls International to repurpose trash for making benches and signage. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency supported efforts across the border to create a connecting park in Tijuana using the same building methods. As a result of the reinvented entrance, CA State Parks saw an increase in visitors and are now preparing for Phase II of the project.