Earth Day Outdoor Volunteering Opportunities for Westchester Families

4/17/15 - By Christi O'Donnell

While Earth Day officially falls on April 22, Westchester is celebrating through the end of the month. This is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to get their hands dirty and help keep Westchester clean and beautiful. Earth Day, along with I Love My Park Day on Saturday, May 2, are great times to come together with your community, and make a difference in our parks and outdoor spaces.

Children love to help, so in honor of Earth Day and I Love My Park Day, we've rounded up opportunities for kids of all ages to volunteer their time to improve the planet. You'll find some of these events (and many more) in our Event Calendar and April GoList. From planting and weeding in local parks and nature centers, to collecting trash and other cleanup, everyone can pitch in and do their share.

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Battle of Yorktown Roadside Litter Clean Up - Yorktown
Saturday, April 18
Grab a bag, put on a bright orange vest and join hundreds of volunteers across Yorktown as they participate in the 26th Annual Battle of Yorktown Roadside Litter Clean Up. Individuals and groups are invited to register at the Refuse and Recycling office on 202; there they will be able to choose an area to clean up and pick up their orange bags and vests. This is a great opportunity for teams, troops, classes and other groups to work together on Earth Day.

Earth Day Reservoir Cleanup & Family Nature Activities - Larchmont
Saturday, April 18
Join the staff at the Sheldrake Environmental Center to help clean up Larchmont Reservoir Conservancy. Pre-registration required.

Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration - Scarsdale
Sunday, April 19
Roll up your sleeves and help make a difference during this interactive celebration. Participants will learn about composting and rain barrels, help clear paths and plant trees and enjoy the beautiful grounds of Greenburgh Nature Center. Don’t forget to check out the Nature’s Discovery Playground!

Pitch In For Parks - Westchester County Parks
Sunday, April 26
Pitch In For Parks is Westchester County’s largest Earth Day/Park Clean Up volunteering opportunity. Each and every county-owned park in Westchester will be participating on some level. Throughout the day there will be clean-ups, planting, sprucing up and trail maintenance going on. Families with children of all ages are encouraged to attend--even a toddler can help plant flowers! Make sure to register at your chosen park with the number of people in your party.

I Love My Park Day - Various Locations
Saturday, May 2
Can’t make it to an Earth Day event? No worries! May 2 is l Love My Park Day. Visit the New York Parks and Trails website and sign your family up to help out at one of the local parks. Similar to Pitch In For Parks, volunteers will be helping clear trails, pick up trash, plant flowers and maintain the park. Participating local parks include Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, Rockefeller State Park Preserve, the Old Croton Aqueduct State Park, Fahnestock State Park and Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve.

Check out our roundup of more Earth Day events and activities throughout Westchester and Lower Hudson Valley.

Originally published April 2014.