River & Property Cleanups
Hands-on cleanups of the river channel and surrounding public lands — the heart of what we do.
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San Joaquin River · Fresno & Madera Counties
Together we clean, restore & protect our rivers.
A small, all-volunteer nonprofit caring for the San Joaquin River since 2003 — cleanups, guided canoe trips and hikes, and hands-on learning for the next generation.
8,900+tires pulled from the river
Since 2003caring for the San Joaquin
100%volunteer-run 501(c)(3)
Who we are
A small nonprofit that looks after the San Joaquin River.
RiverTree Volunteers is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3). Since 2003 we've worked alongside community groups, youth organizations, and individual neighbors to clean up the river, its banks, and its tributaries — and to introduce people to the watershed running through their own backyard.
Our focus is cleanup, education, recreation, and the natural beauty of this place. In practice that means trash and tire hauls, guided canoe trips and hikes, service-learning and Eagle Scout projects for young people, and steady care for the parks and river access points the whole Valley uses.
8,900+Tires pulled from the San Joaquin River, its banks, and its tributaries
HundredsOf tons of trash and recyclables hauled out and properly disposed of
2003The year neighbors started showing up for this river — and never stopped
100%Volunteer-run, so gifts and hours go straight into the work
What we do
The work we do on the river
From cleanups to guided tours on and along the river, we help care for and teach people about the importance of nature in our lives.
Habitat & Invasive Plants
We remove invasive plants at specific project sites so native habitat has room to come back.
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Trails & Park Care
Trail work, benches, bridges, and signage — at Wildwood Native Park, Riverbottom Park, and other river access points.
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Adopt-A-Park
Through Fresno City's Adopt-A-Park program, we help maintain the Riverbottom Park Trail.
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Weed & Graffiti Removal
Invasive weed pulls and graffiti paint-overs that keep river parks feeling cared for.
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Youth & service learning
The river is a very good classroom
A big part of what we do is make room for young people to do real work outdoors. Scout troops, school clubs, AmeriCorps crews, and university teams come to us for projects that count — and leave knowing something about the watershed they live in.
- Eagle Scout projects — owl boxes, benches, bug hotels, trail work
- Service-learning days for schools, clubs, and youth groups
- Water-safety briefing before anyone gets in a boat
Why it matters
8,900 tires didn't leave the river on their own.
Each one was found, dug out, floated to shore, and hauled up the bank by a volunteer. After two decades, most of the legacy tires are finally out — the yearly count is going down, which is exactly the point.
Trash and debris still arrive, though, and every load still leaves the river bottom by hand. More hands mean cleaner water, safer parks, and a river the whole Valley can be proud of.
Get involved
Ready to get your boots muddy?
No experience needed — just show up. Cleanups, paddles, and trail days are family-friendly and open to everyone in the Central Valley.
