Bend volunteers collect 175 pounds of trash during annual SOLVE Cleanup
(KTVZ) -- More than 1,500 volunteers joined together across Oregon and Southwest Washington for the annual SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup, completing 96 environmental restoration projects between Sept. 18 and Sept. 27.
Participants contributed more than 3,100 total hours of service across 15 counties during the 10-day volunteer campaign.
Volunteers gathered nearly 9,000 pounds of litter and debris from local watersheds, beaches and shorelines to prevent waste from flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to trash removal, participants cleared 9,450 square feet of invasive plant species and mulched 300 plants to aid habitat recovery across the region.
In Central Oregon, the Pick It Up, Bend! event returned for its second year on Sept. 27 at the Old Mill District. A group of 42 volunteers collected 175 pounds of trash from popular recreation areas along the river. The event was established in 2025 as part of a broader city-by-city public space improvement program.
SOLVE CEO Kris Carico highlighted the collaborative spirit across the region following the 10-day initiative.
“Every year, Beach & Riverside Cleanup shows what is possible when people unite to care for the places they call home,” Carico said. “This year, we saw that community action take many forms, from cleaning beaches and rivers to removing invasive plants and caring for neighborhood spaces. These local efforts add up to a meaningful regional impact.” The projects spanned Clackamas, Clark, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Jackson, Lane, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill counties.
Along the Oregon Coast, organizers hosted 25 cleanup events stretching from Astoria and Warrenton down to Gold Beach. These shore-based projects focused on clearing marine debris and trash from public beaches and recreation zones. In Gold Beach, the local group Paws for Nature combined its cleanup event with a community dog walk.
Inland efforts concentrated heavily on regional river systems and surrounding watersheds. Volunteers in Southern Oregon participated in Bear Creek Stewardship Day, caring for local waterways across Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and Medford. Activity in the Rogue Valley included removing trash, pulling invasive plants and maintaining pollinator gardens.
The Bend cleanup incorporated a partnership with the Johnson Ohana Foundation, connecting the morning volunteer work with musician Jack Johnson's local concert as a Village Green partner. Financial and logistical backing for the regional cleanup included support from Clean Water Services, Kaiser Permanente, Knife River, Keep America Beautiful, Metro, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, Owens Corning, Portco Packaging, Tillamook, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc. and KOIN.
