All of Coastal Cleanup Day’s cleanup sites focus on litter abatement, but some locations offer additional service projects. Service project examples include, graffiti removal, invasive plant species removal, weeding/brush removal, native plant planting, and trail maintenance.
Invasive plant species are species that have been introduced to San Diego County from another region in the world and have negative impacts on our native ecosystems. They compete for resources and aren’t limited by predation. This reduces biodiversity, can cause extinctions of native plants and animals, and changes habitats. An example of a prominent invasive species in San Diego County is mustard seed. Mustard seed grows in an earlier season and pushes all the native seedlings out. It has a deeper root system that sucks up all the available water so our native flowers dry out. This native Eurasia plant, covers our entire hillside and can catch fire easily because it doesn’t have any of the fire resistant qualities native scrub brush does. This interrupts the natural cycle at a cost to all plants, animals, and humans. By removing invasive species and planting native species; we are restoring a system that has develop over millions of years to work in harmony.
Graffiti removal, weeding/brush removal and general trail work may at first seem unrelated to a healthy watershed but in fact many studies have been conducted connecting a beautifully-cared-for place with lower levels of litter. If a person were to come by a tagged park with unkept trails and neglected equipment, they may feel less guilty about leaving trash behind implying “no one cares, why should I?” By helping tidy and maintain our local areas, society as a whole will feel more responsible for keeping them clean.
Our events at I Love A Clean San Diego align with our mission to promote healthy watersheds throughout the County for everyone to enjoy. To find out what unique service projects are offered, and any special instructions for them, head to your site sign up page in the Community Hub.