On May 24, 2008, the Tucson community conducted region-wide litter pickup in some of our most precious creeks and washes. The Tucson Regional Creek and Wash Cleanup Day served as an opportunity to enjoy the unique waterways our desert has to offer and to make an impact on their protection and health.

At Cienega Creek, southeast of Tucson, PAG hosted the second annual cleanup of that location for the event.  Additional cleanups in the region included an event at Rincon Creek hosted by the Rincon Institute and at Atterbury Wash & Lakeside Park hosted by Tucson Clean and Beautiful. Plus, each event was assisted by the Master Watershed Stewards at the University of Arizona. The Tucson Clean and Beautiful program also has over 140 different wash opportunities available around town for adoption through the Adopt-a-Wash program.  

This was part of a greater effort for National River Cleanup Day™ sponsored by American Rivers. In 2007, about 600 tons of garbage were removed from rivers in the U.S. during this event. Riparian areas are very important in Arizona because they are so rare (less than 2% of the total land area), but are critical for the survival of 60 percent to 75 percent of our wildlife species.  We all know how precious water is to our community and the importance of keeping it clean.