Community members plant native plants around Watsonville Slough Saturday during the third annual World Wetlands Day cleanup effort. (Photos contributed)

About 75 people took part in the third annual World Wetlands Day Saturday in an effort to protect and restore the Watsonville slough system.

Organized by City of Watsonville wetlands program coordinator Michelle Templeton and Watsonville Wetlands Watch restoration coordinator Jonathan Pilch, the theme of the event was “Caring for Wetlands — An Answer to Climate Change.”

“The turnout Saturday demonstrated yet again how much Watsonville really cares — both program leaders and community members alike,” Templeton said. “We had a full agenda with native vegetation restoration; guided litter cleanups throughout the day; arts, crafts and games in the Nature Center; and a guided nature walk.”

More than 35 people participated in invasive plant removal. Those plants include French broom, Himalayan blackberry, bristly ox tongue, pampas grass, English ivy, fennel and poison hemlock. Participants planted such native plants as gooseberry, California wild rose, coyote brush, box elder and blue-eyed grass in and around Watsonville Slough. Adults and children participated in litter cleanup led by Nature Center staff Cindy Scott and Cristy Cassel and docent Athena Barrios.

Templeton said people pulled items such as shopping carts, plastic bags, water bottles and fast-food wrappers out of the slough. In turn, they were awarded reusable water bottles imprinted with educational statements and reusable nylon grocery bags.

“This way the two biggest offenders were awarded with the two biggest solutions,” she said. “Starting a habit of using reusable water bottles and reusable grocery bags has a tremendous impact on our environment.”

“The event had such a good representation of students from New School, area teachers, families with two or more kids and grandparents — there was a great spread of ages,” Templeton said.

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The Nature Center hosts a free, family-friendly nature walk every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. On March 27, it will host a composting workshop designed to educate people on waste reduction. For information, call 768-1622.

Watsonville Wetlands Watch runs a family-friendly monthly restoration project. For information, call 566-4938.

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