Sable Odry, NEC Coastal Programs Coordinator
Humboldt Bay Trail Update
On May 17 the Humboldt Bay South Trail ribbon tying ceremony commenced, marking the start of the connection between the Eureka and Arcata coastal trails. Construction is set to begin in June, with the goal of completing this segment of the Humboldt Bay Trail by 2024. With the addition of over four miles of trail, “[t]he project includes widening the railroad prism, major modifications to the Eureka Slough railroad bridge, construction of three new trail bridges, and removal of the northern section of Eucalyptus trees along the highway. The project also includes urgent repairs to erosion damage along the railroad and raising the elevation of the railroad between Brainard and Bracut to address flood hazards,” according to the County of Humboldt. Construction is being headed by McCullough Construction with support from Ghirardelli Associates, and GHD, Inc.
Visit thegreatredwoodtrail.org/ for information on upcoming Great Redwood Trail Agency Board meetings, archives, permits and more.
Visit greatredwoodtrailplan.org for an interactive map on the trail, surveys, upcoming workshops and information on how you can get involved and give feedback.
Grab that Trash
Summer is finally here and that means beach days, river days – nature here we come! It also means folx are out and about and seeing some of the trash and debris that have washed out of our streets and homes during the rainy season. If you like to get involved in removing or keeping trash out of our natural environments, join the NEC for one of our monthly cleanups. Or check out our lending library and find out how you can lead a cleanup of your own. We have a collection of trash grabbers, gloves, buckets, repurposed bags, sharps containers, and even a couple of magnet sticks for fishing out those nails from beach fire pits. Visit our website to put in a lending library request, find out about upcoming events and Coastal Cleanup Month, learn about citizen science and other ways that you can participate.
If there is a particular area you like to visit, or a neighborhood where you’ve noticed trash tends to collect, ask us about our Adopt-A-Beach and Adopt-A-Block programs.
Shelter Cove beaches have been adopted!
Thank you Friends of the Lost Coast for joining our Adopt-A-Beach program. On Earth Day, April 22, Friends of the Lost Coast hosted their first public cleanup, collecting over 200 items and cleaning approximately three miles of coastline in three hours, starting at the boat ramp of Mal Coombs Park and finishing at Black Sands Beach. Thank you for your efforts in keeping trash out of our oceans!
Follow them @FriendsoftheLostCoast on FB, IG and tiktok. Be sure to join them for their July cleanup on Wednesday, July 5 from 9am-12pm at Mal Coombs Park in Shelter Cove.
Congrats Trashlantis!
For this year’s Kinetic Grand Championship, team Pineapple invited the NEC to collaborate on their sculpture, Trashlantis. During our spring cleanups, the NEC set aside cool trash to turn into art and bribes for the Trashlantians during our monthly Trash Craft Nights. On the first day of the race, NEC staff members mingled with the Trashlantians, in an attempt to educate the public on the ongoing problems of plastic and trash in our oceans. We’re excited to announce that the Trashlantians won this year’s Grand Championship!
A little background from the Trashlantians themselves: Trashlantis is rising from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch! Trashlantean emissaries, strange half human, half fish and half trash beings, are coming to this year’s Kinetic Grand Championship. They need your plastic to expand their ocean empire. Will you help them build a neo pelagic ecosystem? Or will you self-fish-ly reduce your waste and prevent the Trashlanteans from thriving?
July Cleanup
- When: July 19, 4-6pm
- Where: Location TBD. (Check our social media.)
- What: Enjoy the sunshine and keep litter out of our waterways. Cleanup supplies and refreshments will be provided.
Trash Craft Night
- When: July 25, 6-8pm
- Where: NEC Office 415 I St, Arcata
- What: Turn Trash into Art! Crafting supplies and refreshments will be provided. More cool trash is always welcome!