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Salsipuedes Creek and Levee cleanup

June 22, 2023
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On June 22nd sixty volunteers arrived at the Buddhist Temple on Bridge Street in Watsonville to join in a massive cleanup along Salsipuedes Creek. Mile markers Placed by Supervisor Hernandez office demark the two-mile stretch of levee which offers picturesque views of the mountains and surrounding city. Wildlife flourishes in the reeds and grasses along the banks. But the levee which borders both agriculture and housing development is compromised by cigarette butts, candy wrappers, water bottles, wood scraps, discarded chairs, and other miscellaneous garbage.

A special thank you to Ramon Gomez, Chief of Staff for Supervisor Filipe Hernandez who organized the cleanup co-sponsored by PGE’s environmental team, Watsonville Buddhist Temple and The Trash Talkers, which includes The City of Watsonville, The County of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County Sheriffs, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and Watsonville Works, who all collaborated to participate in this cleanup effort.

Watsonville Buddhist Temple offered the use of their parking lot and Reba Condon who does litter pick up on her own on a weekly basis as well as contributing to the beautiful landscaping along the levee for Bay Village was there along with Kirk (as in Captain Kirk) to represent the Temple in the cleanup.

While being interviewed, volunteer Alexa Rodriguez Lopes said: “I am a Student Advocate for the Trash Talkers, I also have been Interning for Watsonville Wetlands Climate Corp Leadership for two years. They have exposed me to the beautiful environment here in Watsonville and  I am proud to be joining the County-wide Pitch In Initiative to fight pollution.” She also shared that she is involved in the Farm to Cafeteria program which provides fresh produce, fresh salad specifically, for all the summer school students from Pajaro and Watsonville high schools. Our goal is to bring healthier local food to our students.  This will increase healthy food choices, while reducing emissions, which is better for our kids, and our community all while supporting our local farms.

It was an impressive turnout and the neighboring community and those who walk the levee will be grateful for the collective effort that picked up volumes of trash. Now, let’s keep it clean!

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Volunteers from PGE’s Environmental Team, The Trash Talkers, City of Watsonville, County of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County Sheriffs, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, Watsonville Buddhist Temple and Watsonville Works join in the June 22nd Cleanup of Salsipuedes Creek and Levee.
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Our Hero John Moreno-Ramirez from the City of Watsonville works tirelessly, to keep Watsonville free of litter and illegal dumping.
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John Moreno-Ramirez (right) and his co-worker Josh Castillo from the City of Watsonville monitor and clean up litter and debris on a weekly basis throughout their jurisdiction. Today they assisted volunteers by loading garbage filled bags into their truck and on to the dumpster.
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Some of the 50 volunteers from PGE’s Environmental Team. Christina Ellsworth (kneeling lower right) an Environmental Supervisor said: “The stories about the devastation and flooding, were heartbreaking. We are excited to be partnering with the City of Watsonville and the County of Santa Cruz to make sure we take care of this creek area and our community. We are a team of land planning analysts, biologists, and environmental field specialists, creek cleanup and serving our home planet is what we are here to do.”
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Volunteers load garbage into a dumpster provided by the city of Watsonville.
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Supervisor Matt Penick helped to check drainage areas along the creek which have been impacted by trash. Their team including Remey Rodriguez (not pictured) work to maintain the levees while preserving important sensitive habitat along the creek.
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Molly Dodge, a biologist with PGE said: “Our team helps crews who are replacing poles, or doing vegetation management work in sensitive areas. Where we think there might be nesting birds, we do surveys to make sure there are no nests or we hold up the work until the birds have fledged, unless it is emergency work. This is not just for special status species, but for any birds. I have worked for PGE for two years and before that was a contractor doing vegetation management.”
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Santa Cruz County Sheriffs return their 4-Wheel drive vehicle after picking up trash on the left bank of Salsipuedes Creek.
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PG&E environmental scientists and volunteers pause for a photo while picking up garbage along Salsipuedes Creek.
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Volunteer Barry Scott, is the State Director for The Need Project (National Energy Education Development Project) which promotes energy conscious education.
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Alexa Rodriguez Lopez (left) joined Christine Lyons (right) of Watsonville Wetlands Watch. Alexa who will be a Senior at Watsonville high school in the fall, is a member of the Climate Corp Leadership Institute as well as being the Student Advocate for the Trash Talkers. She not only picked up trash, but found two snake skin sheds which she will put on display at the Watsonville Wetlands Watch Environmental Center.
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