Coastal Cleanup Planned Today

Ventura County residents from Thousand Oaks to La Conchita will participate today in the 12th annual statewide Coastal Cleanup.

There are more than two dozen cleanup sites scattered throughout the county. Volunteers can clean inland waterways in Thousand Oaks and Santa Paula or coastal areas in Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Hollywood Beach, Silver Strand, La Conchita, Seacliff, Point Mugu and points in between.

Especially dirty locations include McGrath State Beach in Oxnard, Surfer’s Knoll at Ventura Harbor and the municipal beach in Port Hueneme, cleanup coordinator Jessica Craven said.

Cleanup efforts are also planned at Rincon Parkway, Emma Wood Group Campground and the mouth of the Santa Clara River. In Thousand Oaks, volunteers are meeting at Borchard Park to clean up along Conejo Creek.

People should arrive by 8:45 a.m. and wear gloves and sturdy shoes. The cleanup ends at noon.

Last year 993 volunteers across the county picked up 9,069 pounds of garbage, about a third of it recyclable, Craven said.

For more information about cleanup efforts in Thousand Oaks, call 449-SAVE; in Santa Paula 933-4213; the Ventura Keys 652-4555; and the remainder of the county 385-8084.