Restoring Union Creek: a volunteer-led project in Shinjuku

Union Creek has been used as an informal dump for years. This December, 30 neighbors turned up for a first cleanup, filling 169 bags in a single morning. Now we want to restore it for good. We have a plan agreed with the municipal water board, including native species selected by a local botanist. The area floods more each year, and fish have returned for the first time in a decade after our first cleanup. Restoring it will protect homes and bring back shade. All the labor is volunteered. We just need materials. Funds buy saplings, gloves, bags, hire of a skip, and signage. Where the $1,900 goes: • Native saplings and stakes: $770 • Tools and protective gear: $560 • Waste removal and skip hire: $420 • Signage and educational materials: $150 If you're reading this, thank you.