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Clean the Bay Day, June 4th

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Saturday, June 4, 2022
9 am – Noon
See a full list of sites to find one near you.
(Mason Neck State Park and Huntley Meadows are options)
Register here.

Clean the Bay Day has been a staple for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay community since its inception more than three decades ago. On June 4, thousands of Virginians will simultaneously work together to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay by removing litter and debris from its rivers and streams at hundreds of sites all across the Commonwealth.

Can’t make it to the June 4 event? No worries! The week of May 30 to June 3 is Clean the Bay Your Way DIY Week, where you can conduct your own cleanup in your neighborhood, place of work, or anywhere else you have permission, and where you can take care of the disposal safely and properly yourself.

Fairfax County Watershed Cleanup, Various Dates

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The Nature Conservancy is partnering with Fairfax County Park Authority to do a wonderful watershed cleanup around 15 different Fairfax County parks!

Registration for the annual Fairfax County Watershed Cleanup is now available at www.nature.org/fairfaxcleanup. They need nearly 500 volunteers to help clean up plastic bottles, cans and other debris. It’s a great way to give back to the community, and it’ll be a pretty fun day as well!

Event capacity is limited, and they request that you register individually or in family units. Before registering a large group of 10+ people, please double check that everyone in your group is committed and will attend. This prevents situations where one group takes half the available spaces and then cancels last-minute, and they have no one to fill in.

Site Location Date Time Total Volunteers Needed Approximate # volunteer spaces left at press time
Hidden Pond Nature Center Springfield 3/26/2022 9 a.m.-12 p.m. 45 FULL
Chandon Park Herndon 4/2/2022 9-11 a.m. 25 25
Huntley Meadows Alexandria 4/3/2022 9-11:30 a.m. 50 15
South Lakes Drive Park Reston 4/9/2022 9-11 a.m. 25 22
Pine Ridge Park Annandale 4/9/2022 8 a.m.-10 a.m. & 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 25 each 25
ECL Chantilly 4/16/2022 9-11 a.m. 20 FULL
Riverbend Park Great Falls 4/16/2022 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 15 4
Scott’s Run NP McLean 4/16/2022 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 25 19
Ossian Hall Park Annadale 4/16/2022 8 a.m. -10 a.m. & 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 25 each 25
Laurel Hill Lorton 4/23/2022 9 a.m. -10:30 a.m. 25 13
Springvale Park Springfield 4/27/2022 8 a.m.-11 a.m. 20 17
Providence RECenter Falls Church 4/30/2022 9:30-11:30 a.m. 30 26
Roundtree Park Falls Church 5/1/2022 9:30-11:30 a.m. 30 16
Lake Fairfax Reston 5/7/2022 9-11 a.m. 55 44
Lake Accotink Park Springfield 5/8/2022 9-11 a.m. 25 7

Americana Drive Cleanup, February 21st

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Photo:  John Cameron on Unsplash.com

Monday, February 21, 2022
10 am – 1 pm
All along Americana Drive, Annandale
Learn more and sign up here.

Get your brain wet! Join Friends of Accotink Creek, Fairfax County Restoration Project, and neighbors to get trash out of this site of chronic illegal dumping. Be prepared to get tired and dirty!

Shoreline Cleanup, Mason Neck State Park, September 25th

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Photo: Jerry Nissley

Mason Neck State Park
7301 High Point Rd., Lorton, VA 22079
(Meet at the Visitor’s Center)
Saturday, September 25, 2021
9 am

Can you help keep Mason Neck State Park looking good? The Potomac and Occoquan Rivers bring trash of all kinds to the shores of the Park. The Friends of Mason Neck State Park will lead a cleanup of the shoreline on National Public Lands Day (Saturday, September 25). They’ll have gloves, trash bags and a few “grabbers” to help you pick up the smaller stuff. Please bring waterproof shoes or boots. The tide will be high that morning, and you are almost certain to get wet.

For those who are experienced paddlers, they’ll have canoes, paddles and life vests available so you can collect trash that is not acessible from the shore. Thanks to the generosity of Prince William Marina, we’ll have snacks available to keep your energy levels high while you clean up the park.

Virginia & Waterways Cleanup – the Friends of Accotink Creek are starting their Fall Cleanups, various dates

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GET YOUR BRAIN WET! Join Friends of Accotink Creek to get trash out of our waterways while participating in the International Coastal Cleanup in Fairfax County.

Saturday, September 18, 2021 Cleanup Locations:

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM     Accotink Creek at Fullerton Road bridge , Directions

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Franconia-Springfield Parkway bridge , Directions
(Including cleanup of Hooes Road dumpsite)

3:00 PM – 5:00     Accotink Creek at Telegraph Road bridge , Directions

Saturday, September 25, 2021 Cleanup Locations:

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM     Accotink Creek at Fairfax Blvd bridge , Directions

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Chain Bridge Road , Directions

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Old Lee Hwy bridge , Directions

Saturday, October 2, 2021 Cleanup Locations:

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM     Accotink Creek at King Arthur Road bridge , Directions

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Little River Tpk bridge , Directions

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Braddock Road bridge , Directions

Saturday, October 9, 2021 Cleanup Locations:

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM     Accotink Creek at Pickett Road bridge , Directions

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Barkley Dr bridge , Directions

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM     Accotink Creek at Woodburn Road bridge , Directions

Thursday, November 11, 2021 Cleanup Location:

10:00 AM – 12:00 noon     Americana Drive Veterans Day cleanup

Other opportunities to be part of the solution in the Accotink Creek watershed:

  • Saturday, October 16, 2021 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Fort Belvoir Accotink Bay
    Contact Fort Belvoir Public Works EMAIL

Trash Cleanup, Dyke Marsh, September 25th

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Saturday, September 25, 2021
9-11 am
Register by sending an email to [email protected]

Join the Friends of Dyke Marsh (FODM) with their Potomac River and Dyke Marsh shoreline trash cleanup in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS).

Check in at the registration table near the Belle Haven Park south parking lot to pick up supplies. NPS and FODM will provide some gloves, tools and trash bags.

Wear sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, gloves and sun protection. Bring water. This will be canceled in case of lightning or severe storms.

It’s Time to Sign Up for The International Coastal Cleanup!

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Join Clean Virginia Waterways for the 27th year of keeping Virginia’s waterways litter-free! This annual cleanup of trash and litter in our rivers and on our beaches is part of the International Coastal Cleanup and is the largest event held by CVW. Thousands of volunteers gather along the shorelines of Virginia’s rivers, lakes, bays, and beaches (and inland too!) to clean up litter and debris, and recycle found items. They also complete Data Cards or use the CleanSwell app, to collect valuable information about the amounts and types of litter and debris they are finding. Click here to see how your important data are used.

Please participate in this statewide and international effort dedicated to cleaning the world’s waterways. This year, cleanups will run from late August to early November.

Want to Be a Leader?
Cleanup events require leaders! Gather your friends, family, co-workers, organization, or other groups and lead your clean up as a Site Captain! Learn more about being a Site Captain here. If you would like to be a LEADER of a cleanup, please signup to be a Site Captain or call Clean Virginia Waterways at (434) 395-2602, or send an email to [email protected]. You do not need to know a specific date or time for your cleanup to sign up, so sign up TODAY!

Want to Volunteer?
Stay tuned, as cleanup dates for August-November will be updated throughout the summer. Click here to check dates of cleanup events in a community near you. Need help finding one? Contact us by calling Clean Virginia Waterways at (434) 395-2602 or send an email to [email protected].

NVCT Kayak Cleanup, June 13th

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Hunting Creek watershed adjacent to I-495
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Two sessions: 10am – Noon OR 11am – 1pm
Each participant must register.

Help Northern Virginia Conservation Trust clean up the Hunting Creek watershed adjacent to Interstate 495! The trash and debris that pile in from the Potomac River and Cameron Run harms the environment and hinders outdoor activity around the area. They hope you’ll jump in a kayak or canoe and join them for their annual cleanup. Kayak rentals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

33rd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, April 10th

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The Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup has become a decisive catalyst for progress that ignites people’s interest and passion for the environment and community action. The largest regional event of its kind, the Cleanup provides a transforming experience that engages residents and community leaders and generates momentum for change. The Potomac River Watershed Cleanup has grown from a small shoreline cleanup at Piscataway National Park to a watershed wide network. What started as a few cleanup events along the Potomac River is now a regional event spanning Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Learn more here.

A Choice on MLK Day of Service, January 18th

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A Dyke Marsh inlet. Photo by Ned Stone.

January 18, 2021
10am – Noon
Meet at the Belle Haven Park south parking lot registration table. This will be canceled if there are heavy storms or lightning that morning.

Friends of Dyke Marsh and National Park Service will host two activities:

(1) a shoreline trash cleanup and

(2) removing English ivy from trees.

Volunteers can choose either activity. You do not need prior plant identification experience.

To follow covid-19 protocols, we must require registration and limit participants to 15 people in each group. We will provide work gloves, tools, trash bags and hand sanitizer.

Wear a mask, sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, winter gloves and sun protection. Bring your own water.

Register here and indicate your choice:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=urWTBhhLe02TQfMvQApUlHWAzFDL3hpMiePFqcjTpuxUMTVQUzZRSFo1WEdST1JaTTk5MkZTSTlXUy4u