Who We Are
A Public Benefit Nonprofit 501(c)(3)
We are a group of volunteers dedicated to improving public use of the Santiago Creek. The Santiago Creek begins in the mountains above Irvine Regional Parks in the City of Orange and flows through Villa Park and Santa Ana to the Santa Ana River. From the moment we started our work in 1991, we understood that by working together we could achieve our mission to improve the beauty and access to Santiago Creek.
What We Do
Our Mission is to create a greenway and trail system along the general course of Santiago Creek and to preserve and enhance its ecological scenic, historical and recreational resources.
Advocacy
Political Action to Support the Creek
Creek Cleanups
Join us!
Trash Cleanups:
On August 8, 2026 from 9 to 11 am we will be cleaning up the creek
near Yorba Park located at 190 S. Yorba. Park in the parking lot near
the dog park and walk towards the creek.
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On September 19, 2026 from 9 to 11 am we will participate in the 42nd annual California
Coastal Cleanup Day, California's largest annual volunteer event covering beaches and
inland waterways across the entire state. We will be locations at Hart Park and Grijalva Park.
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On October 3, 2026, from 9 to 11 am we will join Love Orange for their city wide
clean up efforts. We will provide the location along the creek when the date is closer.
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Starting in November we will resume our monthly cleanups on the 2nd Saturday of each
month. Join our email newsletter to receive monthly emails with location information.
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Invasive Weed Removal:
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Join us every Saturday and Monday mornings from 8 to 10 am at the east end
of the Hart Park Parking lot to remove invasive plants. Wear sturdy
closed toes shoes and working gloves. Bring tools if you have them.
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​​​​​​​​​Community Bike Ride:
Join the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance on Saturday, October 17, 2026,
for a community bike ride along the creek. We will be partnering with the Yorba Dog Park.
The 20 minute bike ride, each way, is on a FLAT, PAVED trail at a relaxed pace.
Families and community groups are absolutely welcomed. More details to come.
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Invasive Plant
Removal Efforts
We organize work days (usually Saturdays and Mondays) to remove invasive plants like crown daisy, sweet fennel and several others. Invasive plants are not beneficial to the insects and birds native to southern California. We are working to eliminate these plants that serve no function in the creek ecosystem as they out-compete and push out beneficial native plants. We do this work the hard way – without the use of herbicides. If you'd like to join the weed warrior ranks, reach out to Chuck George at cgeorge@george-sd.com.
Monthly Creek
Cleanup Days
The cleanup days are once a month on the second Saturday from 9-11 am. Since the location varies, sign up for our email list to receive information about events and cleanup locations. Help care for our creek by picking up trash, pulling weeds, removing invasive plants, watering new seedlings, and sometimes even planting new trees and shrubs along the creek.
Always wear sturdy shoes and be aware of your surroundings since the ground can be uneven and rocky.
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Group Events
We are happy to host a work day to plant trees and work in and around the creek. We have worked with scouting troops, school groups, and company sponsored events. Contact us to learn more and schedule a fun and rewarding day planting trees and working in the creek.
Quarterly Board Meetings
Our Board meets once per quarter. You are welcome to attend the next meeting. Reach out to us if you are interested in attending a meeting and/or getting involved.
Our next board meeting is September 23, 2026, at 6pm. please contact us for address info if you would like to attend.
Donations
We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible. We are accepting donations using Zelle. Please send the donation via Zelle using our email address:
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Please contact us if you would like a receipt confirming the amount of your donation.
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Thank you for your financial support!
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