Volunteers Sought to Help Clean, Restore 24 Calif. State Parks

Calling all nature lovers! California State Parks officials need your help.

It’s almost time for the 18th Annual California State Parks Foundation’s (CSPF) Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup, which will be held on April 16 at dozens of locations across California. On that day, hundreds— or more likely, thousands— of people will come together to help with a variety of tasks related to keeping our parks maintained.

“Businesses and individuals are sought to actively participate with their communities to help restore the beauty and glory of California’s treasured state parks,” the California State Parks Foundation said in a news release announcing the event.

Started in 1998, the program has seen some 81,670 participants take part, contributing more than 334,301 volunteer hours. Officials estimate that’s worth nearly $6.39 million in park maintenance and improvements.

“California’s state parks need this annual refurbishment,” officials said in the release. “The chronic underfunding of the state parks system has resulted in a backlog in overdue maintenance projects of approximately $1.3 billion, the elimination of many education programs for kids, reduced staffing, and curtailed operating hours.”

According to the California State Parks Foundation, some of the projects that will be completed on Earth Day include: trail and campground improvements, trash cleanup, tree planting and restoring wildlife habitats.

Volunteers are needed at the following parks:

• Angel Island State Park
• Auburn State Recreation Area
• Benicia State Recreation Area
• Bolsa Chica State Beach
• Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
• Carpinteria State Beach
• China Camp State Park
• Chino Hills State Park
• Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Doheny State Beach
• Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park
• Grover Hot Springs State Park
• Half Moon Bay State Beach
• Lighthouse Field State Beach
• Millerton Lake State Recreation Area
• Montaña de Oro State Park
• Mt. Diablo State Park
• San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area
• San Onofre State Beach
• Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park
• Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
• Sinkyone Wilderness StatePark
• Sonoma Coast State Beach

Individuals, groups or businesses interested in volunteering for this year’s event are encouraged to register at http://www.calparks.org/help/earth-day/ or call 1-888-98-PARKS.