Volunteers don’t need to wait until September’s Coastal Cleanup Day to help Heal the Bay in Malibu.
The organization, which works to protect and rehabilitate the Santa Monica Bay, is offering a variety of events leading up to Coastal Cleanup Day, “the biggest volunteer day on the planet,” on September 21, starting with Ocean Appreciation Weekend this weekend, according to Heal the Bay’s website.
Ocean Appreciation Weekend will be at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium August 3-4 from 12:30 to 6 p.m. There will be games, arts and crafts projects and presentations to educate visitors about the Santa Monica Bay, according to Heal the Bay. Admission is $3, or free for children ages 13 and under.
Heal the Bay is also coming to Malibu. On Aug. 10, they’re leading a habitat restoration at Leo Carrillo State Park. The restoration is part of a larger project to restore the Arroyo Sequit for the endangered Southern California steelhead trout. Leo Carrillo volunteers will remove invasive Cape Ivy, which is poisonous to fish, from areas near the creek, according to Heal the Bay. The restoration is open to volunteers 10 and over, and all participants must sign up in advance and sign liability waivers.
Leo Carrillo restorations will continue through the year on the second Saturday of each month, according to Heal the Bay.
Other events include training for the Marine Protected Areas Watch, a film screening and a craft beer crawl.
The Coastal Cleanup Day will be Sept. 21, at a variety of beach and inland sites, including Leo Carrillo, Surfrider and Zuma beaches.
For more information, visit Heal the Bay online.