The 2023 cleanup season at Salter Grove got off to a strong start on March 18, thanks to a big turnout of volunteers, including many first-timers.

Cold, grey, and windy conditions didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of families and individuals who had signed up for some outdoor activity in anticipation of Spring.

Nearly 30 people worked together to collect 302 pounds of trash and other debris blown in by winter storms.

Organized by Save the Bay, large volunteer groups contribute to the regular efforts of nearby residents to keep up Salter Grove and its surrounding shorelines for the public to enjoy.

Teams come out at least monthly from March to November.

Each year’s first big cleanup happens near the start of Spring. The weather isn’t always pleasant. This year, the rain held off but a stiff north wind greeted the volunteers at check-in. But the turnout was still above average!

The 302-pound haul on March 18 was larger than all but one cleanup in 2022, and larger than any during 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic limited the number of volunteers who participated.

Looking back a little further to 2018 and 2019, volunteers on several occasions dragged in more than 302 pounds. Is Salter Grove getting cleaner? Has more than a decade of regular effort made a difference? Most visitors would agree that’s the case.

But wind and wave will continue to deliver new challenges, and volunteers will be back to preserve the beauty of the park.

The next cleanup will be Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day), from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers can sign up at volunteer.savebay.org.