Earth Day has been celebrated every year since 1970 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Here in Cape Elizabeth, we held two events to help the earth in our neighborhood.
CELT held our third annual Earth Day Community Clean Up, where volunteers signed up to clean up specific roads, beaches, and trails around town at any point during the week surrounding Earth Day. Over twenty people went out and picked up over 14 bags of garbage throughout Cape Elizabeth.
When asked about the weirdest or funniest thing found, volunteers reported a really unusual rusted piece of metal, a golf ball quite far away from the golf course, a trailer hitch, and several half lobster buoys. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make Cape Elizabeth a cleaner place.
A second event for Earth Day took place on Sunday, April 23 in partnership with the Chickadeeds. Over 100 volunteers of all ages gathered for an afternoon at Runaway Farm and Gull Crest Fields to plant trees, remove invasive plants, and help improve the animal habitat areas around the site. Volunteers planted swamp white oak, burr oak, red oak, and shagbark hickory seedlings around Runaway Farm, and removed invasive bittersweet and honeysuckle. People were invited by Wild Seed Project to make seed bombs, to help spread native flower seeds throughout the area. Many helped to improve the ecosystem by establishing more “rabbitats” available as habitat areas for the state endangered New England Cottontails. Big thanks to all of the volunteers who came on Sunday and a special thanks to the team that put the event together.
Overall, a very successful Earth Day! Thanks again to all who helped make Cape Elizabeth a cleaner place with healthier ecosystems and new plants in celebration of Earth Day 2023. Keep in touch to learn of future events to continue caring for the planet, with new projects taking place each month throughout the year.
