April 18, 2025
Canal Clean Sweep
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elebrate Earth Day with a purpose! Sponsored by the NYS Canal Corporation, Canal Clean Sweep is an annual statewide event that occurs along New York’s historic canalways and greenways on Earth Day weekend. This spring, from April 18-20, 2025, thousands of volunteers will clean up more more than a hundred locations along historic canals in New York State. Over its 20-year legacy, Canal Clean Sweep has mobilized thousands of volunteers from scout troops and small business to elected officials and rotaries.
In 2024, 193 Clean Sweep events occurred across the corridor, with participation from close to 4,000 people. We estimate that most groups filled at least 4 bags during their clean-up, meaning roughly 772 bags of trash were filled across the three-day event for a total of 42,460 gallons of trash removed! 42,460 gallons of trash would be roughly equivalent to 53 tons… To help visualize the impact, the amount of trash collected would be equivalent to the weight of 5 to 6 adult African elephants! That doesn’t even account for items too big to fit in a trash bag like tires, bikes, and vacuum cleaners.
Parks & Trails New York joined New York State Parks and the State Department of Environmental Conservation to encourage visitors at state parks and other state-owned and managed lands to enjoy their outdoor adventure while protecting these precious natural resources. The Love Our New York Lands campaign recognizes the record numbers of New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe who have discovered that the Empire State's scenic beauty and exceptional recreation make for the perfect destination.
In 2024, Canal Clean Sweep joined the suite of Love our New York Lands events alongside PTNY's flagship event, I Love My Park Day.
★ Key Dates ★
Host registration: January 27, 2025
Volunteer registration: March 10, 2025
2025 Canal Clean Sweep Event Map
TO VIEW THE CANAL CLEAN SWEEP MAP IN YOUR BROWSER CLICK HERE