Earth Day -- Coal Creek Litter Clean Up

Volunteers will be cleaning up litter along Coal Creek, a sensitive riparian habitat that is especially vulnerable each spring as winds blow litter in from Highway 93 and surrounding areas. This debris poses a serious threat to wildlife on OSMP lands. Food‑scented litter – such as pizza boxes, energy bar wrappers, or gum packaging can cause bears to lose their natural fear of humans. When bears begin associating people with food, conflicts increase, and those animals often must be euthanized for public safety. Litter is equally dangerous to birds. Songbirds and raptors cannot digest many common materials and ingesting them can be fatal. Discarded fishing line and hooks also entangle birds, frequently leading to injury or death. Over time, these impacts reduce local wildlife populations and disrupt the health of the entire riparian ecosystem.

Please help protect this habitat by always disposing of trash in designated waste bins or packing it out. Following basic Leave No Trace principles ensures that wildlife stays wild and Coal Creek remains a thriving natural area for everyone who visits.