April means spring cleaning in the communities around Acadia National Park! Mark your calendars for Friends of Acadia’s Annual Earth Day Roadside Cleanup on April 26, 2025.

As early spring begins to warm the air and melt the snow on Mount Desert Island, it also reveals a long season’s worth of debris.

Roadside snow banks are particularly adept at collecting wind-blown trash, stowing it away all winter. When they inevitably recede, that trash and debris remains.

Each April for the last 22 years, volunteers rally on the roadsides of Mount Desert Island and Trenton to clean up what the winter left behind, putting that trash where it belongs and keeping the communities debris-free.

Volunteers work to pick up trash near Triple Chick Farm in Bar Harbor. (Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)

Registration will open closer to the event. More details to come, too!

Gather your family, friends, coworkers, or any other roadside-cleaning enthusiasts you know – or feel free to join us on your own. Prior to the Roadside Cleanup date, we’ll be in touch with your section assignment and meet-up location for the day. (You’re welcome to request a preferred section assignment, too. We’ll do our best to accommodate.)

On the day of, bring your positive attitude, a reusable water bottle, closed toed shoes, and appropriate clothing for the weather. Section leaders will bring trash bags, safety vests, gloves, water, and a light snack.

f you have a group that is larger than 10 participants, you want to be a section leader (that’d be excellent!), or you have any other questions, please contact Friends of Acadia Stewardship Coordinator Nikki Burtis at Friends of Acadia at 207-288-3934 or nikki@friendsofacadia.org

We encourage residents to celebrate Earth Day all year long by keeping the roadsides trash-free. Please dispose of your trash appropriately. Recycle what you can and put the rest in trash cans. With just a small amount of individual effort, together we can reduce the amount of trash in our communities and help protect our shared lands and waters.