Rohnert Park And Cotati, Find A Coastal Cleanup Saturday Near You

ROHNERT PARK AND COTATI, CA — Now that summer is nearing its end, it's time to say "thank you" to the many beautiful beaches, rivers and other waterways that have been serving us well all season. That's right, this September is Coastal Cleanup Month — and a statewide coastal cleanup day is about to get underway.

This Sept. 18, the shorelines of Sonoma County's beaches and rivers will not only see the familiar beach towels, surfboards, inflatables and fold-out chairs of visitors looking for a fun day in the sun — but also the efforts of countless residents picking up discarded trash.

According to the California Coastal Commission, in 2019 more than 74,000 volunteers picked up at least 900,000 pounds of litter from beaches and waterways throughout California.

The waterway cleanups start around 9 a.m. but for Rohnert Park and Cotati residents who can't make it to any of the nearby cleanups Sept. 18 around Sonoma County, fear not — community members can participate in a self-guided neighborhood cleanup or at a local park or open space area. According to the California Coastal Commission, all you need to do is download the CleanSwell app on your phone and clean on your own time throughout September.

Sonoma County Cleanups

In Petaluma, the nonprofit group Friends of the Petaluma River is hosting the Fall Petaluma River Cleanup at Steamer Landing Park, 6 Copeland St. To participate, residents need to sign up here. The cleanup will take place at 10-15 creek sites. A barbecue for volunteers starts at 11:30 a.m. at Steamer Landing Park.

The Sonoma Ecology Center Coastal Cleanup is also taking place Saturday at three sites:
Agua Caliente Bridge, Larson Park Creek and Glen Ellen Calabasa Creek. Here is the link for more information and to register. Volunteers should bring a mask, sturdy walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, garden or work gloves, and a desire to give back!

The Russian River Watershed Cleanup is planned from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Saturday at 10 sites along the Russian River. According to Russian Riverkeeper, each volunteer gets a special thank you gift for participating in any of the cleanups linked below:

• Cloverdale First Street Bridge
• Cloverdale Asti Bridge on Washington School Road
• Geyserville Bridge
• Healdsburg walking routes
• Town of Windsor walking routes
• Santa Rosa Creek at Olive Park
• Forestville Steelhead Beach
• Forestville Sunset Beach
• Guerneville Johnsons Beach
• Monte Rio Recreation and Park District

Elsewhere in the North Bay and along the North Coast, cleanups are planned Saturday at Drake's Beach and Kehoe Beach in Marin County; Cook's Beach, Point Arena and Russian River-Ukiah Valley in Mendocino County; Davis Beach and Clearlake Campground in Lake County; and at five sites in Napa County, including Lake Berryessa.

Here's a map of cleanups in the Bay Area and beyond for 2021: