Shoreline Clean up

Clean the Bay Day is sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and is an ongoing effort towards creating a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay. Here at Mason Neck, Kane's Creek and Belmont Bay connect to the Potomac River, a major river that flows into the Chesapeake Bay.

Join the community in the park’s largest annual clean-up efforts to pick up the trash and debris that have made their way to our shoreline!

The most discarded items are plastic bottles (450 to 1000 years to decompose) and plastic bags (20 to 1000 years to decompose).

Shoreline clean-up begins at 9:30 a.m. with check-in at the Visitor Center. Please wear comfortable clothes and closed-toed shoes. 

We will also have a hands-on non-point-source pollution demonstration. Participants will see how rainwater carries pollutants such as oil, fertilizer, and litter into streams and into the Chesapeake Bay. Help remove trash, learn simple ways to reduce runoff at home, and be part of protecting the health of our bay- one small action at a time. We will have bags, some gloves, and pickers available to borrow. We recommend sturdy shoes, gloves, bug repellent, and water while you are in the park. 

Note we will not have boats in the water this year.

 Registration is not required but recommended at CBF.org.

About Clean the Bay Day

Every June, Virginia State Parks participates in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Clean the Bay Day, an event dedicated to protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Park visitors are invited to join a clean-up to help remove litter, debris and pollution from rivers, streams and shorelines that feed into the Bay, contributing to the health of the Bay’s ecosystem and ensuring cleaner water and safer habitats for wildlife. 

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