News Release 11-010
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director
Media contact:
Kathy Hale, (360) 902-8581
Linda Burnett, (360) 902-8561
Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388
Earth Day opportunities: Volunteers needed for huge coastal cleanup and April state park cleanup days
OLYMPIA –
Mar. 24, 2011 –
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is putting out a call to volunteers to hit the beaches for a huge beach cleanup effort on Saturday, April 23, the day Gov. Christine Gregoire has proclaimed "Washington Coast Cleanup Day." In addition, state park rangers at more than a dozen parks need volunteers to help with Community Partnership Month cleanup events throughout April, to get ready for the spring and summer camping season.
Both the coastal cleanup and community partnership month efforts are in conjunction with Earth Day.
Coastal cleanup
The Commission is one of eight founding members in the sponsoring organization, the Washington Clean Coast Alliance. The CoastSavers program of the Alliance organizes a huge coastal cleanup each year around Earth Day. Last year, more than 1,000 volunteers removed more than 16 tons of marine debris from Washington’s Pacific beaches. Other members of the Alliance are the Grass Roots Garbage Gang, the Pacific Northwest Four-Wheel Drive Association, Discover Your Northwest, Lions Club International, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Olympic National Park and the Surfrider Foundation.
"Marine debris is a serious threat to our ecosystems and our enjoyment of the coast," said Don Hoch, State Parks director. "Garbage and debris harm coastal vegetation, wildlife and marine organisms and mar the beauty of our coastline. It is sincerely heartening to see the hundreds of people who come out for the cleanup and phenomenal to see the amount of debris they take off the beaches."
Volunteers of all abilities are needed. If you can hold a bag, you can help. While some people carry garbage bags to roadside dumpsters, others simply fill the bags so that four-wheel drive vehicles can pick them up along the beach. Volunteers can learn more and sign up on the CoastSavers website, www.coastsavers.org/washington. Rangers at ocean-side state and national parks also are signing up volunteers for the cleanup day.
Park Cleanup Days: Community Partnership Month
In addition to the coastal cleanup day, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is celebrating Earth Day with volunteer projects in state parks to prepare for the upcoming summer season. Volunteers who want to help out in a park are asked to call the contact number on the event list below:
| Community Partnership Events - 2011 |
| Park | Date of Event | Ranger | Phone |
|---|
| 1.Alta Lake | April 16 | Morris Shook | (509) 923-2473 |
| 2. Bridle Trails | April 16 | Jim Erckmann | 425-827-6595 |
| 3. Deception Pass | April – flexible days | Jason Stapert | 360-675-3767 |
| 4. Fort Ebey | April 2, 9, 16 | Aaron Terada | (360) 678-4636 |
| 5. Larrabee | April 23 | Alex Moularas | (360) 676-2093 |
| 6. Lewis & Clark | April 23 | John Lipparelli | (360) 864-2643 |
| 7. Long Beach Peninsula | April 23 | Shelly Pollock or Bryan Alexander | (360) 244-1599
(360) 642-3078 |
| 8. Moran | April 9 | Kinnan Murray | (360) 376-2326 |
| 9. Mount St. Helens Visitor Center | April 23 | Brayden Mitchell | (360) 274-0962 |
| 10. Ocean City | April 23 | Jason Tom | (360) 289-3553 |
| 11. Olallie | April 23 | Rick Oakley | (425) 455-7010 x103 |
| 12. Pearrygin Lake | April 16 | David McWalter | (509) 996-2370 |
| 13. Sacajawea | April 2 | Sharon Stewart | (509) 366-1272 |
| 14. Saint Edward | April 23 | Friends Group | (425) 489-0549 |
| 15. Twin Harbors | April 23 | Brad Staab | (360) 268-9717 |
| 16. Lake Chelan | April—flexible days | Rod Jacques | (509) 687-3710 |
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission thanks the public for supporting state parks. Donations made to State Parks through the vehicle license tab renewal program will keep state parks open in the 2009-2011 budget cycle, provided adequate revenues are collected. The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 98-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.
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