Pick the litter off the dry upper shore of Eureka's bayfront trail (2026-07-19)

The Eureka Waterfront Trail runs the whole city edge of Humboldt Bay, and wind and tide pile bottles, foam, and rope on the dry upper shore beside it. That plastic breaks up and feeds into eelgrass beds and oyster water. A monthly sweep of the dry shore keeps it out of the bay for good. Standard: NOAA Marine Debris Program shoreline cleanup practice + California Coastal Cleanup protocols; SDG 14 Life Below Water. Proof: Before/after reach photos with bag tally Method (NOAA Marine Debris Program shoreline cleanup practice + California Coastal Cleanup protocols; SDG 14 Life Below Water.): 1. Walk an assigned reach of the Waterfront Trail at a mid or low tide window. 2. Photograph the litter concentration areas before starting. 3. Collect litter from the trail edge and dry upper shore only, using a grabber and gloves. 4. Tally items by type on a simple count card as you bag them. 5. Weigh or estimate the filled bags and dispose of them in city bins or the transfer station. 6. Photograph the cleared reach and the filled bags with the tally. Done when: Before/after reach photos with bag tally

Where

Eureka Waterfront Trail, Halvorsen Park reach, Eureka, CA 95501

Pay

$180 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

Before/after reach photos with bag tally

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

entry

Open until

2026-08-19

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 60–120 minutes. Method of record: NOAA coastal habitat (eelgrass / salt marsh) extent + condition

Bring

• tide table
• GPS phone
• quadrat frame
• measuring tape
• boots/waders
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Check the tide table; plan to work the low tide; tell someone your plan and return time.
2. 2. Navigate to the habitat edge; record GPS waypoints along the patch/edge.
3. 3. Photograph the meadow/marsh at low tide.
4. 4. Record shoot/stem density per quadrat and estimate patch extent (or edge scarp height for marsh).
5. 5. Note condition (epiphytes, dieback, wrack) and adjacent land use/armoring.
6. 6. Enter density, extent, condition, GPS, photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Soft mud / rising tide -> stop and retreat; safety over data.
• Edge retreat or heavy dieback observed -> flag for living-shoreline / protection planning.

What counts as done

• Density (shoots/stems per quadrat) recorded
• Patch extent or edge position recorded via GPS
• Condition + adjacent-use note recorded
• Low-tide photos + GPS waypoints

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.