Volunteers will provide 5,000 hours of service over 6 days
WASHINGTON D.C. – April 10, 2014—The Student Conservation Association (SCA) will commemorate the 44th anniversary of Earth Day by activating more than 2,000 young volunteers for service projects in 14 cities across the nation. Throughout the month of April, volunteers will plant vegetation, restore trails and remove debris through activities supported by presenting sponsors American Eagle Outfitters, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Domtar, Exelon Foundation, Johnson Controls and Southwest Airlines.
The projects begin April 12 and run through April 28.
“As a national leader in youth conservation, SCA is proud to engage so many young people on Earth Day, and prouder still of the important contributions they’ll make to our public lands and communities,” says SCA President Dale Penny.
The following cities will host events. For more information, go to https://www.thesca.org/events
APRIL 12
Chicago
- WHERE Our Lady of Tepeyac Grade School, 2228 South Whipple
- WHEN Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- WHAT Volunteers will transform an empty lot into an outdoor classroom by constructing a butterfly garden and native plant garden and improving playground spaces. This event is also part of SCA’s “HeART This City” Alternative Spring Break, sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters.
- Contact SCA Marketing Manager Lori Robertson at [email protected]
Houston
- WHERE Lake Houston Wilderness Park, 25840 FM 1485, New Caney, TX
- WHEN Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- WHAT Join SCA and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation at Lake Houston Wilderness Park. Volunteers will create new trail around Lake Isabel, install new benches in new trail, open trails to the lake for fishing access, construct bat boxes and bird houses, and develop picnic areas.
- Contact Julie Mintzer, SCA Houston Program Coordinator, at 713-520-1835.
Manchester, NH
- WHERE Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH
- WHEN Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- WHAT Celebrate Earth Day and 100 years of New Hampshire Audubon with SCA’s Manchester Community Crew. Plant a community garden and repair hiking trails. Other activities include a scavenger hunt, crafts, live animal demonstrations, a performance of The Lorax, live music and more.
- COST $5 for individuals; $10 for families.
- Contact Teresa McNamee at [email protected] or 618-977-6057.
Seattle
- WHERE Washington Park Arboretum, 2300 Arboretum Dr E
- WHEN Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- WHAT SCA founder Liz Putnam and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will be on hand to mark Earth Day and SCA’s 30 years of conservation service to the Puget Sound region. Volunteers will prune back overgrown vegetation, remove invasive plant species, and re-vegetate areas with native plants on the Arboretum’s 230 acres.
- CONTACT [email protected] or 206-324-4649.
APRIL 19
Detroit
- WHERE Belle Isle Nature Zoo, 1928 East Lakeside Drive
- WHEN Saturday, April 19, 2014, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- WHAT In conjunction with SCA and the Belle Isle Conservancy, volunteers will remove woody invasive plants from the Belle Isle Forest.
- CONTACT Amit Weitzer, SCA Detroit Program Manager, [email protected] or 313.530.1683
New Orleans
- WHERE Chalmette National Cemetery, 8606 West St. Bernard Hwy
- WHEN Saturday, April 19, 2014, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- WHAT Volunteers will work to clean and refurbish historic Chalmette National Cemetery and its 16,000 gravestones, site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. This event is also part of SCA’s “HeART This City” Alternative Spring Break, sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters.
- CONTACT SCA Marketing Manager Lori Robertson at [email protected].
New York City
- WHERE Hudson River Park, Pier 51 (W 12th St & West Side Highway)
- WHEN Saturday, April 19, 2014 – 9:30 a.m.- 2 pm
- WHAT For a second consecutive year, SCA and the Hudson River Park Trust are teaming up to celebrate Earth Day through hands-on service at Hudson River Park in Manhattan. This event is part of SCA’s year-long ConSERVE NYC initiative. Volunteers will plant native species along the bike path, in addition to planting, weeding, and mulching in the park’s Habitat Garden.
- CONTACT Ann Pedtke, SCA Marketing Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or 724-678-9401.
Washington D.C.
- WHERE Fort DuPont Park, 3600 F and Minnesota St SE
- WHEN Saturday, April 19, 2014 – 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- WHAT Join SCA and the National Park Service to celebrate Earth Day through service at Fort DuPont Park. Volunteers will clean up litter around the park, remove invasive species, and maintain gardens and trails.
- CONTACT: Monique Dailey, SCA DC Area Youth Programs Manager at [email protected].
APRIL 25
New Paltz, NY
- WHERE NYSDEC Region 3 Office, 21 South Putt Corners Road
- WHEN Friday, April 25, 2014, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- WHAT SCA’s Hudson Valley Corps and the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program’s “Trees for Tribs” Initiative will pot hundreds of young trees. Potted seedlings will later be planted at select sites in the fall, to help prevent erosion and pollution along the Hudson River’s tributaries. Volunteers are welcomed to return on Saturday to finish the remaining potting.
- CONTACT SCA Member Jacob Oblander at [email protected].
April 26
Bear Mountain, NY
- WHERE Bear Mountain Trailside Museums and Zoo, Seven Lakes Parkway; RSVP for exact meeting location
- WHEN Saturday, April 26th, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- WHAT Join SCA’s Hudson Valley Corps and the Trailside Museums and Zoo to celebrate Earth Day at Bear Mountain State Park. Visitors encounter stations along the trail where volunteers will provide educational experiences and information.
- CONTACT Renee LaMonica at [email protected] or John Lake at [email protected].
Chicago
- WHERE Whistler Woods, 678 W 134th Street, Riverdale, IL
- WHEN Saturday, April 26, 2014, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- WHAT SCA, Friends of the Parks, and The Forest Preserves of Cook County celebrate Earth Day at Whistler Woods. Volunteers will clean up litter and remove invasive species, and then environmental education activities will be offered including bike building and riding, nature hikes, and textile and electronic recycling
- CONTACT Carina Ruiz at [email protected] or 312.239.1661 ext 6005.
Milwaukee
- WHERE Urban Ecology Center, Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th Street
- WHEN Saturday, April 26th, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- WHAT Students who have applied for the SCA summer community program in Milwaukee will meet at the Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park to celebrate Earth Day and experience what life might be like on an SCA conservation crew. Student volunteers will be assigned to a crew and complete service projects around the park.
- CONTACT Students should RSVP to August M. Ball, SCA Milwaukee Program Manager, at [email protected] or 414.322.8482.
Philadelphia
- WHERE John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, 8601 Lindbergh Blvd
- WHEN Saturday, April 26, 2014, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- WHAT Join SCA and John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge to celebrate Earth Day by participating in the annual Darby Creek Clean-Up.
- CONTACT Corrin Omowunmi at [email protected] or 215.756.2279
Pittsburgh (Event 1)
- WHERE Point State Park, 101 Commonwealth Place
- WHEN April 26th, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- WHAT Volunteers will complete a large-scale planting project, removing invasive species and replacing them with native plants.This event is also part of SCA’s “HeART This City” Alternative Spring Break, sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters.
- Contact SCA Marketing Manager Lori Robertson at [email protected]
Pittsburgh (Event 2)
- WHERE South Side Park, Kimbol Street
- WHEN Saturday, April 26, 2014, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- WHAT SCA teams with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association to celebrate Earth Day through service at South Side Park. Volunteers will improve trails around the park, clean up litter and remove invasive species.
- CONTACT Rick Southers, SCA Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or 412.325.1851 ext. 3030.
April 27
Brisbane, CA (SF Bay area)
- WHERE San Bruno Mountain State Park, 555 Guadelupe Canyon Parkway
- WHEN Sunday, April 27th, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- WHAT SCA and San Mateo County Parks celebrate Earth Day at San Bruno Mountain State Park. Situated at the end of the Santa Cruz Mountain Range, San Bruno Mountain provides habitat for several rare and endangered species including the Mission Blue Butterfly. Volunteers will be removing invasive ivy around the park to support the growth of native plant species.
- Contact Katie Myszka at [email protected] or 510.832.1966 ext. 5303.
April 28
Dallas
- WHERE 1807 E 8th Street, Dallas, TX 75203
- WHEN Monday, April 28th, 2014, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- WHAT As part of the Southwest Airlines (SWA) Spring Systemwide Initiative, volunteers will remove trash, debris, and invasive plants around the wetlands and plant new native species that will help the wetlands thrive. Participants include SWA CEO Gary Kelly and SCA CEO Dale Penny.
- Contact SCA Marketing Manager Lori Robertson at [email protected].
About the Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association is the only national organization that develops tomorrow’s conservation leaders by providing high school and college students with service opportunities in all 50 states, from urban communities to national parks and forests. More than 4,000 SCA members annually render over two million hours of service to America’s public lands. Since 1957, SCA has helped to develop new generations of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save the planet. SCA is headquartered in Washington, DC and maintains offices in Anchorage, AK, Boise, ID, Chicago, IL, Charlestown, NH, Houston, TX, Oakland, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, and Seattle, WA.
