State Parks Looking for Volunteers

Earth Day is approaching and the State Parks Department is looking for volunteers for it’s statewide clean up workday set for Saturday, April 22.
It’s the 19th Annual California State Parks Foundation’s “Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup” sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and individuals, groups or businesses interested in volunteering can register at: calparks.org/earthday or call 1-888-98-PARKS. Registration opens Feb. 20. And see: calparks.org/earthday for a complete list of volunteer sites and times.
A local clean up effort for SLO County beaches, creeks and rivers, is organized by ECO-SLO with local volunteers. Look for information on that effort as the date approaches.
“This statewide Earth Day cleanup is a great opportunity for Californians to do something meaningful for their communities and the planet by helping improve their local state parks,” the State Parks Foundation said in a news release. “Due to a history of underfunding by the state, the parks system faces a $1 billion backlog of overdue maintenance projects, as well as reduced staffing and programs.”
Since its inception in 1998, th3e Foundation’s Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup program 83,785 volunteers have put in more than 334,000 hours worth nearly $6.6 million in park maintenance and improvements. And, nearly $5 million has been raised through the Earth Day program to benefit state parks.