Helping Keep Our Waterways Clean
Official Dates: Cleanup initiatives take place throughout the months of September and October.
Cleanup local streams and collect important data by participating in Big Sweep Cabarrus. The program rids the state's waters of litter with:
In Cabarrus County, Ocean Conservancy sponsors Big Sweep. It's part of their International Coastal Cleanup. The official Big Sweep cleanup occurs in September and October. Additional cleanups can be organized throughout the year. Volunteers document the types of debris collected. Data is submitted and analyzed to pinpoint sources of debris, which helps:
Since 1992, CSWCD has provided cleanup supplies and educational materials to local participants. To register your family, organization or school, call 704-920-3300.
City Nature Challenge Metro Charlotte
Starting in 2018, CSWCD has participated in the City Nature Challenge. CSWCD also teams up with local environmental education entities to plan the event. The challenge is a citizen science event that takes place in the Charlotte Metro Area. The event calls for collection of photos and identification of wildlife and plants. No identification knowledge is necessary. Scientists around the world use this information. This yearly event uses the iNaturalist application to record data. In Cabarrus County's first year, we ranked 18 out of 68 different cities/regions around the world. In the following years, we expanded to include the entire Charlotte Metro Area. Join us in April to participate in this fun event. Visit iNaturalist or call our office at 704-920-3300 for more information.