UDALLS COVE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
Every spring since 1970, the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee has sponsored a cleanup of the wetlands, woods and shoreline.
Our 54th Annual Cleanup will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023 starting at 10 AM. This year we will resume our pre-pandemic tradition of following the cleanup with a free picnic lunch for all our volunteers. And special thanks to Extreme Terrain for awarding
UCPC a $500 grant to help defray the costs of our 2023 cleanup!
During the first year’s cleanup, over a dozen car wrecks were hauled out,
along with literally tons of other refuse. Fortunately, those days are past. In
recent years the cleanup crews have been occupied primarily with collecting
the large quantities of (mostly plastic) refuse that floats in on the tides.
On April 13, 2019 UCPC held its 50th annual cleanup. Over 100 people participated, and we filled a 30-cubic yard dumpster. We were honored that NYC Queens Borough Parks Commissioner Mike Dockett joined us -- in the group photo above he's standing in the front row, fourth from the left. The photo was taken after the post-cleanup picnic luncheon at Douglaston's Memorial Field.
A few of our intrepid volunteers with the fruits of their labor! Some of our younger volunteers, ready to work.
On this map, X marks the spot where we meet for the
annual cleanup.
These days, most of the trash we collect is plastic -- vast amounts of it . . . bottles, bags, cups, straws, food containers, toys, and much more. But it wasn't always so. During the first cleanup in 1970 our volunteers were confronted by over a dozen wrecked cars, tires, appliances, mattresses and broken furniture. We were aided by the NYC Sanitation Department with its heavy equipment.
But some things haven't changed -- participation by the younger generation.
This photo is from our 1973 cleanup:
