Canal Clean Sweep: 10 reasons to volunteer in 2025

As we celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal this year, there’s never been a better time to get help preserve and enhance our state’s historic waterway! We’re celebrating 20 years of CCS April 18-20 with clean up events all across New York’s canal corridor–from Albany to Buffalo.

Last year, 3,000+ volunteers removed 42,260 gallons of trash from canalways and greenways across the state.

Still need convincing? Here are our top 10 reasons to join Canal Clean Sweep in 2025:

1. Celebrate the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal

Completed in 1825, the Erie Canal transformed New York State into a thriving hub of commerce, culture, and innovation. Hosting a Clean Sweep event allows your community to honor this historic milestone by ensuring that the canal and its trails remain beautiful and accessible for future generations.

2. Strengthen community bonds and pride of place

There’s something special about coming together as a community to work toward a common goal. Organizing a Clean Sweep event builds camaraderie, fosters new friendships, and deepens our connections to the local environment. Whether it’s a scout troop, a neighborhood association, or a local business, working together on a shared project instills a sense of accomplishment and civic pride. Many of PTNY’s Adopt-A-Trail Groups started out as Clean Sweepers and now engage in year-long stewardship of their local canalway trail!

3. Make a meaningful contribution to Earth Day

Held the weekend before Earth Day, Canal Clean Sweep is a great way to take direct, hands-on action to protect the environment. By cleaning up trash, volunteers help protect ecosystems that are essential for wildlife and outdoor recreation.

4. Join a larger statewide movement

Canal Clean Sweep is one of four statewide Love Our New York Lands events, which encourage New Yorkers to care for public lands and waterways. By hosting an event, you become part of a larger network of volunteers working to preserve the beauty and integrity of New York’s outdoor spaces. Check out the other Love Our New York Lands events, including I Love My Park Day on May 3, 2025.

5. Protect local wildlife and natural habitats

Clean up efforts help safeguard the habitats of birds, fish, and other wildlife that depend on the canal system. Discarded plastics, fishing lines, and other pollutants pose serious threats to local wildlife. By hosting a cleanup, you’re not only improving the aesthetics of the area but also creating a safer and healthier ecosystem for the creatures that call it home.

6. Improve public spaces for outdoor recreation

The Erie Canalway Trail and other canal-side parks provide spaces for hiking, biking, fishing, and paddling. However, these spaces need ongoing maintenance to remain welcoming and safe. Volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring that trails are free of litter, debris, and overgrown vegetation, making them more enjoyable for all who use them.

7. Engage schools and youth groups in hands-on learning

Schools and youth organizations participate in Canal Clean Sweep as an opportunity for hands-on environmental education. Through activities such as waste audits, native plantings, and discussions on conservation, young volunteers gain a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship and sustainability–valuable lessons that will stay with them for life.

8. Boost local tourism and economic development

A clean and well-maintained canal system attracts visitors and boosts local economies. Events like Clean Sweep contribute to the vitality of towns and villages along the canal by making these areas more appealing for tourists who enjoy outdoor recreation, dining, and shopping. Cleaner parks and trails mean more visitors spending money in local businesses.

9. Strengthen partnerships and community advocacy

Hosting a Clean Sweep event can build relationships between residents, local government, businesses, and environmental organizations. It’s a chance to advocate for continued investment in parks and trails while fostering long-term commitments to keeping public spaces clean and accessible.

10. Leave a lasting legacy for future generations

By organizing a Clean Sweep event during this landmark year, you’re not just tidying up a space for a day–you’re making an impact that will be felt for years to come. When future generations walk along the canal’s trails, paddle its waters, or visit its historic sites, they will benefit from the care and dedication of today’s volunteers.

For more information on how to register as an event host, visit https://www.ptnyfriends.org/canal-clean-sweep

Canal Clean Sweep is organized by Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) in partnership with the New York State Canal Corporation.