04/24/2026
We are grateful for the 50 trash-busting Tribal staff and community members who showed up to help take care of Tolowa lands within Lake Earl Wildlife Area and Tolowa Dunes State Park (known as the Shores) on Wednesday, Earth Day. We collected 6.4 tons (12,800 pounds) of trash and 82 tires, which would have cost about $2,000 to dispose of.
The Nation's Natural Resource Department organized the Ghaa-dvn-ne (Community) Cleanup to support lh-v (truth) and ghee-na (healing) in this area that is a popular dumping ground for refuse. Groups of 3-5 volunteers spread out across the area with gloves, trash pickers and bags to collect trash for 4 hours. Several groups tackled areas that contained partial vehicles, a trailer, tires and appliances, which were hauled away by Tribal staff members, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California State Parks. Other items collected included appliances, cans, glass, plastic, shot gun shells, discarded clothing, wood and electronics. In addition, a LOT of used diapers, whippet cans, nails (remnants from pallet fires) and alcoholic beverage bottles were removed.
We'd like to thank the California State Parks and California Department of Fish and Wildlife for their assistance with hauling out loads and to the Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority for covering the dump fees.
These lands include sites of deep cultural and spiritual significance—places that, despite their importance, have managed to go without the level of care and respect they deserve. This cleanup was intended not only to address the current condition of the land, but also to create space for reflection and acknowledgment of well-documented historical harms that are too often forgotten and even less often acknowledged.
Our hope is that, by showing up and doing the work, this effort can move beyond statements of support and toward something more tangible: namely, community-led healing and a genuine commitment to cooperative stewardship. By tending to these spaces together we can move forward with righting some historical wrongs and repairing relationships with the land together.
By the numbers:
Participants: 50 people including 30 Nation staff and staff from California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tolowa citizens, Del Norte residents, True North Organizing, Tolowa Dunes Stewards, and Greater Outdoor Access and Learning (G.O.A.L).
We invited all of the Board of Supervisors, but none attended. One of the candidates running for the Board of Supervisors, Lisa Cundall, DID attend. We appreciate her support, positivity and willingness to support these lands that are so important to us all.
