Tread Lightly! and Clean-Dezert headed out on Saturday, December 3, 2022, along with 80 volunteers who came together at the Truckhaven 4×4 training area to do their part and leave the Ocotillo Wells SVRA better than they found it. Both organizations have been leading land clean-ups all over the country.
They roamed far and wide, collecting trash leftover from the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend where recreation impacts were heavier. Over the course of four hours, the volunteers gathered over 3,000 pounds of trash, including 12 pallets and two sofas.
“For our 2022 Truckhaven event, we had the pleasure to link up with two other great companies who put on clean-up events in Southern California,” Adam Filbin of Clean-Dezert said. “This is exactly what our sport revolves around: joining teams and doing our part to keep our public lands open.”
“Without the hard work and dedication put on by SDORC and Desert Cleanse, our public lands would be in total disarray. Joining teams allows us to bring unique skill sets together to create a larger impact and take on new areas of the desert where we don’t always recreate. Look forward to new and unique collaborations through 2023.”
To thank all the volunteers that donated their time and energy to help clean up the desert, the Tierra Del Sol 4×4 club provided lunch, and Clean-Dezert hosted a raffle. These stewardship projects have brought together the off-road community and provided the awareness of packing out what is brought to the desert.
In addition to Tread Lightly! and Clean-Dezert, SDORC-San Diego Off-Road Coalition, Tierra Del Sol 4×4 Club, Desert Cleanse Project, Dirt Designs, Fox Factory, Off Road Warehouse, South Coast RV, Napier Outdoor, and Crazy Industries all helped make the event possible. To learn more about clean-ups in your area, be sure to visit Tread Lightly!’s website.