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Parks • Planning • Planning Board
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Volunteer Watershed Cleanups

  • In 2022, volunteers removed 91,725 pounds of trash from parks throughout Montgomery County

    In 2022, volunteers removed 91,725 pounds of trash from parks throughout Montgomery County

  • Thank you, Stream Strider Volunteer Leaders!

    Thank you, Stream Strider Volunteer Leaders!

  • How long until this litter is gone?

    How long until this litter is gone?

    Plastic water bottles can last 450 years.

Welcome to the Volunteer Watershed Cleanups Page

No matter where you are in Montgomery County, you are part of a watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains to a creek, stream, river, and ocean. Trash and litter found in Montgomery Parks can find their way to the Potomac, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. Volunteers help protect our local environment, wildlife, watersheds, and the oceans from litter pollution.

MLK Day of Service at Montgomery Parks.

All MLK Day of Service Cleanups are FULL

Registrations are CLOSED

Saturday 1/14:

Long Branch Local Park 10am-12pm (snow date 1/21) – Partnership with Friends of Sligo Creek, Montgomery County Recreation, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, and CHEER.Matthew Henson Trail from Winding Creek Local Park 9-11am – Partnership with the Potomac Conservancy
Rock Creek Trail at Beach Drive 10am-12pm (snow date 1/15) – Hosted by the Rock Creek Conservancy
Little Falls Stream Valley Park 10am-12pm – Hosted by Little Falls Watershed Alliance 

Monday 1/16:

MLK Recreational Park 9-11am (snow date 1/21)
Takoma-Piney Branch Local Park 10am-12pm (snow date 1/21)
Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park 10am-12pm – Hosted by the Rock Creek Conservancy
White Oak Community Center 10am-12pm – Hosted by One Montgomery Green

We are truly grateful to our partners for their support!

Organize a Group Cleanup

volunteers at trash cleanup
Scout troops, corporate groups, student groups, and community organizations can schedule a group cleanup day at a park or stream year-round! Cleanups are open to all ages, but group leaders must be 18+ to register.

  1. Register your group here (we ask for a two-week notice)
  2. We will send you a Group Leaders info packet
  3. Confirm your cleanup details and pick up your cleanup kit
  4. Have a fun, safe cleanup
  5. Send us your Sign-in sheet and the Cleanup Results

Cleanups for Individuals and Families  parks background, young volunteer holding trash bags and litter grabber, text reads individuals or families

Individuals and families can join a cleanup hosted by Montgomery Parks staff or volunteer leaders.

Click here to register for the next cleanup.

Please note:

  • If a cleanup is not listed, the event is full.
  • New volunteers must create a volunteer/family volunteer account (takes about 5 minutes)

Featured Cleanups

two volunteers in forest carrying a metal box at a volunteer cleanup event

Restore the Cloverly Loop Trail

January 27, 2023 from 10am-1 pm
Sign Up Here Cloverly Loop Trail

This will be a Big BIG Cleanup event with all hands-on deck. Our goal is to clean up this historic dump site. Items include tires, car parts, toys, furniture parts, bottles, cans, etc. Due to the scope of this project, we recommend this for volunteers who are 14 & up.

 

Potomac Conservancy logo  

Partnering with Potomac Conservancy

February 25, 2023 from 9-11 am

Join the Watershed Cleanup at Veirs Mill Local Park

 

Find a Watershed Group near you

Looking for more ways to get involved? Several local watershed organizations host cleanups, restoration projects, and events in Montgomery County.

Map, Montgomery county watershed organizations

Watershed Groups in Montgomery County

Watershed/Nature Organizations in the DC area:

Questions?

Valeria Espinoza
Watershed Cleanups Volunteer Program Coordinator
Email Volunteer Cleanups

Last Updated: January 13, 2023