This spring, the spirit of stewardship swept across New York as more than 7,000 volunteers joined forces for our two flagship events: the 21st annual Canal Clean Sweep and the 15th annual I Love My Park Day.
Canal Clean Sweep
This year’s annual Earth Day weekend clean-up saw an incredible turnout across 144 events. With data still rolling in, our initial reports from 1,880 volunteers show a staggering 37,642 pounds of trash removed from our waterways and trails.
While our teams filled over 1,200 bags with standard litter, they also hauled away some truly bizarre finds, including a minivan backseat, multiple televisions, 59 tires, and even a broken toilet! Beyond the absurd finds, volunteers did the heavy lifting of removing tons of driftwood and invasive species, preparing NY’s canalway trails for all to enjoy this season.
I Love My Park Day
On Saturday, May 2nd, an estimated 5,000 volunteers joined 165 events across the state, supporting a variety of projects focused on preserving and beautifying NY’s public lands as well improving access and enjoyment of these spaces we all love. We are thrilled to report that over 2,000 trees were planted, moving New York closer to achieving the ambitious goal of planting 25 Million Trees by 2033. Thank you to our friends at the Saratoga Tree Nursery for your generous donation of trees and New York State Excelsior Service Fellow, Annabel Gregg, for coordinating this major effort.
The day was also defined by a deepened commitment to community. Through a partnership with Rochester Accessible Adventures, many hosts implemented new inclusive practices, from providing adaptive equipment to creating varied projects for volunteers with varied physical abilities. Furthermore, our collaboration with Riverkeeper Sweep tripled in size this year, with 10 joint sites working to protect the Hudson River watershed.
The Power of Community
The true heart of these events is found in the stories of those who volunteered. At Ganondagan State Historic Site, volunteers tilled fields for an ancient “Three Sisters” garden of heirloom white corn and beans, while at Bayard Cutting Arboretum, a diversity of ages and skill levels came together for a common goal to support the arboretum. Whether it was a four-year-old proud of their efforts picking up sticks at Knox Farm or coworkers bonding over flower planting at Jones Beach, the sentiment was the same: a profound sense of pride and camaraderie. As one volunteer from Mine Kill State Park shared, “I enjoyed building a sense of community and knowing that the work I did will help others enjoy the park this season.”
Thank you to our incredible partners, the New York State Canal Corporation, Department of Environmental Conservation, and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, who helped lift and support these events, as well as our sponsors who helped make these events possible.