The Orange County Department of Education’s environmental education program, Inside the Outdoors, is inviting students, families and community members to take part in its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Upper Newport Bay.
The free volunteer event will run from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, located at 2301 University Drive in Newport Beach. Volunteers will work alongside Inside the Outdoors staff on cleanup and restoration activities designed to benefit Upper Newport Bay, one of California’s last remaining coastal wetlands.
The estuary is home to several endangered species as well as migratory and year-round resident birds. Each year, more than 10,000 students visit Upper Newport Bay through ITO’s field trip programs, making the volunteer effort an opportunity to help preserve an ecological and educational resource used by students across Orange County.
Participants are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes and bring a reusable water bottle. Gloves, buckets and bags will be provided, and volunteers should expect muddy conditions. The event will be canceled in the event of rain.
Volunteers are encouraged to register, with additional information available on the registration page.