Cleanups To Date

Join Pitch In, Waste Free Santa Cruz and others...
Take the Plastic Free July Pledge

Start by bringing your own cup! Avoid Plastic Bottles, Stop using plastic food wrap.

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Mark your Calendar for May 9th, 2026 for the Third Annual Pitch In All County Cleanup Day. Working together We Can Make Santa Cruz the Cleanest County in the State.

Opportunities to participate will be updated here on a regular basis.

Upcoming Cleanups

  • Join River Park, Pajaro Levee and Front St. Community Cleanup! (July 24 @p:00am - 11am)
    • Location: Park & meet near River Park, 100 E. Front Street, Watsonville
    • Time: Thursday, July 24, 2025 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
    • Everyone is invited to come out and help cleanup! Volunteer waivers will need to be signed!
  • Join Save Our Shores cleanups
    • Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach - Dr. Wallace J. Nichols Tribute (July 23 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm)
      Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
    • Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (July 26 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
      Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
    • Beach Cleanup @ Scott Creek Beach (August 2 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
      Scott Creek Beach 2QQC+QR, Davenport, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us on the concrete platform at the entrance of the beach.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: There are no restrooms available, and no drinking fountains on site. Parking is limited along Hwy 1, please plan accordingly. This location is not wheelchair accessible; there is a steep sandy path down to the beach.
    • Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (August 16 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
      Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
      • Registration is required
      • Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
      • Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
    • Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (September 20 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm)
      Annual Coastal Cleanup Day returns for it’s 41st Anniversary on Saturday, September 20 from 9am-12pm at sites around the Monterey Bay. Annual Coastal Cleanup Day is an amazing opportunity to get outside with your fellow community members, clean up local habitats, and prevent trash from becoming harmful marine debris. We hope you will join the thousands of volunteers worldwide that will be participating this year! Stay tuned for volunteer registration to open later this summer!
  • Join Coastal Watershed Council!
    • San Lorenzo Park Neighbors (September 13 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
      Meet at the duck pond at 10:30 am to join in!
      Join the San Lorenzo Park Neighbors and the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department for a morning of volunteer service to beautify San Lorenzo Park, followed by a concert! Make a difference by picking up trash in the park, and help with special projects that may include painting, sanding benches, planting, weeding, raking, and or pruning. Tools will be provided for volunteers, as well as water and coffee. Meet at the duck pond at 10:30 am to join in! Email us with questions at sanlorenzoparkneighbors@gmail.com.
  • Join Grant Park Neighbors for community cleanups and fun!
    • Saturday, August 23, 2025
    • Saturday, September 20, 2025
    • Saturday, October 11, 2025
    • For more information, please visit grantparkneighbors.org

Cleanups Accomplished

Paulsen Road Cleanup

March 28, 2024

On March 28th in the early morning drizzle, Supervisor Hernandez’ Office led by Chief of Staff Ramon Gomez, along with Santa Cruz County Community Development and Infrastructure Department, City of Watsonville, Watsonville Works and numerous volunteers joined together to cleanup up Paulsen Road in Watsonville. 

Paulsen Road is beautiful area, with important agricultural land, Casserly Creek, and home to numerous birds and other wildlife.  It is constantly being “trashed” by illegal dumping. And it needs to stop!

As the sun returned to a brilliant blue sky, volunteers collected volumes of trash, dumped carpet, sofas, furniture, tires and other debris. Over 2 and ½ County truckloads of illegal dumping were removed from the area.  A special shout out and Thank you to Ramon Gomez for organizing this cleanup and to volunteers Eileen, Maria, Clark, Nayeli and Susan for participating.

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