This land is your land: National Public Lands Day and California Coastal Cleanup Day

Posted by admin on Aug 31, 2009

Just a quick trip north across the Golden Gate Bridge, the peaceful Marin Headlands beckons urbanites and travelers who need a little break from San Francisco’s bustling pace. With its rolling hills, dramatic ocean cliffs, and sandy beaches, the Headlands is one of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s (GGNRA) most diverse — and beautiful — areas.

The landscape doesn’t take care of itself, though, and it takes numerous volunteers working alongside National Park staff to keep the coastal wilderness pristine. That’s where you come in.

Show a little love to this local treasure by participating in one — or both — of the large-scale volunteer clean-up events happening in the Headlands this month: California Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19, and National Public Lands Day on September 26.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of California Coastal Cleanup Day, which is coordinated by the California Coastal Commission. More than 50,000 volunteers turn out annually at over 700 cleanup sites across the Golden State to take part in what the 1993 Guinness Book of World Records dubbed "the largest garbage collection." Since the program started in 1985, 800,000 volunteers have removed 13 million pounds of trash and recyclables from the state’s shorelines, waterways, and coasts.

The Marin Headlands Hostel is partnering with the YMCA to take part in this statewide event. Head to the hostel for a community breakfast presented by the YMCA, running from 8-9 a.m. Enjoy complimentary fruit and bagels, or splurge on a $10 pancake breakfast.

After you’re fortified, join in the cleanup at nearby beaches, beginning at 9 a.m. After the cleanup, celebrate your good work with a free volunteer BBQ at the Bay Model Visitors Center in Sausalito, from 12-3 p.m.

If you can’t make this cleanup day — or feel like lending another hand — September 26 is National Public Lands Day (NPLD), when 130,000 Americans grab shovels, pruning shears, and gloves to help improve the country’s natural spaces at more than 2,000 sites across the country.

Last year, more than 120,000 volunteers planted an estimated 1.6 million trees, fixed hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and removed trash at nearly 1,900 sites. Volunteer efforts were valued at an estimated $13 million in labor and in-kind contributions.

The Marin Headlands Hostel is proud to be hosting one of the only public clean-up efforts in the Bay Area for NPLD, and will lead volunteers in a trash and debris pick-up through the Headlands. Drop-ins are welcome, and guests staying at the hostel are encouraged to join in! Be sure to pack a lunch to enjoy after you’re finished with the day’s work.

Both these cleanup days are prime opportunities to explore some of the most scenic spots in the GGNRA, while helping to maintain its natural beauty. Spend a few hours in the fresh air, knowing that the work you’re doing will contribute to the enjoyment of other park-goers, and to the flora and fauna who call the Headlands home.

To RSVP, contact the hostel’s assistant manager, Rose Fluharty, at (415) 331-3536 or rfluharty@norcalhostels.org.

If you’re interested in participating in one of these events, but can’t make it to the Marin Headlands, check out the websites for California Coastal Cleanup Day and National Public Lands Day to find a cleanup site near you – or near one of our other hostels in Northern California.