On April 21st, 2018, 20 SF YAD volunteers arrived bright and early at 8:30 AM at Half Moon Bay, on a breezy, mild weather day. It was one of the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) 20th Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup events, which occurs annually. Alongside volunteers from other organizations, SF YAD volunteers joined the “Green” Volunteer Group, led by some CSPF volunteers and workers, and went to a coastal meadow of Half Moon Bay to help de-weed invasive species. We learned about invasive species on the California Peninsula coast, and how to spot and remove them efficiently.
Armed with garden tools such as hoes, shovels, and garden gloves, our SF YAD volunteers tirelessly worked for 3 hours to remove invasive plants from the meadow. In the process, we learned from CSPF workers about how the invasive species, such as the ice plant, came to settle in California, and we learned first hand how they out competed and killed native species, such as the Californian poppy. This knowledge invigorated the volunteers to work extra hard.
After the volunteer event, SF YAD members gathered to have lunch. Afterwards, we hiked alongside the Half Moon Bay coastal trail for 2 miles to get to the beach, relaxed at the beach for a while, and walked back. Saturday’s activities were simultaneously an educational event for SF YAD volunteers, an environmental beneficial event for the Half Moon Bay landscape, and a chance to be outside on a beautiful Saturday.
4月21日，舊金山青年團一行包括家長和青年團員等22人一起來到加州半月灣州立海灘公園清理海灘雜草，身體力行響應地球日愛護環境的口號。
每年的4月22日是世界地球日，是世界公民在一起以不同方式宣傳和實踐環保理念，關注地球自然生態的重要日子。而半月灣西鄰太平洋，擁有景色優美的海岸線和豐富的植物資源，但是也因為歷史原因，沙灘邊上的綠化系統被一些外來的植物入侵，從而危害到本地植物j的生長。而舊金山青年團在加州州立公園基金會的帶領下，在21日早上八點半便早早來到公園做準備。在了解到這些入侵植物的歷史和危害后，大家摩拳擦掌，帶上手套，提起鏟子等各種工具，認真辨別加州本地的州花花菱草和入侵植物冰葉菊，并將入侵植物拔除。
整個凈灘活動持續3個小時。青年團團員在稍作休息后一起徒步探索了半月灣的沿海小徑，在這來回3.2英里的過程中，團員們不僅在歡聲笑語中加深了感情，也在綠草和海灘的包圍中享受自然環境帶來的放鬆，加深了對地球日的理解和對環境保護理念實踐的決心。