Port of Oakland and partners organize major shoreline cleanups

The Port of Oakland joined its partners to celebrate California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 21, by organizing volunteers to remove litter from the shoreline. The event was held in conjunction with Oakland Creek to Bay Day at two locations: Middle Harbor Shoreline Park (MHSP) in the heart of the Oakland Seaport; and East Creek Slough which is part of Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park.

Families, friends and co-workers made up the 350 volunteers from Matson Terminals, TraPac-Oakland Terminal, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, Port of Oakland, City of Oakland, Friends of Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Nurture Nature Naturalist Team, and the Girl Scouts of Temescal Service Unit.

“This is a terrific opportunity for the community to come together for a wonderful cause – protecting the shoreline and the Oakland estuary,” said Port of Oakland Director of Social Responsibility Amy Tharpe. “In just three hours, participants made a significant impact on the local environment by ridding the waterfront of garbage and keeping it out of the Bay. Cleanup events like this create an excellent way of promoting greater public awareness around the importance of clean shores for wildlife and visitors.”

Volunteers scoured shorelines for refuse. By collecting the garbage for proper disposal, they prevented it from reaching waterways. In addition to their public service, participants enjoyed being outdoors, meeting other community members, taking in the beautiful views of the Oakland estuary and San Francisco Bay, and witnessing the return of migrating birds.

Each event began at 9 am, and wrapped up at noon, with lunch, prizes, and photo opportunities, all in appreciation of the volunteers’ service. 75 bags of garbage were removed from the East Bay shoreline. Some items retrieved from the cleanup activities included a cat statue and a large toy train with a dozen wheels.

The Port of Oakland’s MHSP is situated on the Oakland estuary near the harbor entrance where ships regularly pass by on their way to and from the Port. MHSP surrounds the 188-acre shallow water habitat that provides a home to native aquatic species and endangered birds.

California Coastal Cleanups are a 40-year tradition. The events are part of a state-wide endeavor in which stakeholders from up and down the West Coast come together to keep California’s waterways trash free.