Two hundred volunteers pulled 3,000 pounds of trash from Coastal Ridge Preserve on Saturday, Sept. 19, in what the Town of Cutler Bay called its largest cleanup to date.

The effort was part of the 41st International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest single-day beach cleanup. Organized by the Ocean Conservancy, the annual event brings hundreds of thousands of volunteers to shorelines across 110 countries, according to Local 10.

State Rep. Omar Blanco, who represents Florida House District 115 and serves as a captain with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, joined the crew at the 8.43-acre preserve on Old Cutler Road. He wrote on X that volunteers "rolled up our sleeves and removed 3,000 pounds of trash."

The town's event page said volunteers would remove debris and invasive vegetation and plant native species at the preserve. The property sits next to the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands. Cutler Bay acquired it in 2020 to prevent development and strengthen storm resilience.

Coastal Ridge Preserve and the nearby Veterans Park property together prevented more than 618 residential units from being built, according to town records. The preservation effort is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

The town secured more than $10 million in combined funding for the properties, including $8.5 million from the Florida Communities Trust, about $1.1 million through the Florida Communities Trust Program administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, $250,000 from FDEP's Resilient Florida Program and $250,000 in town matching funds.

Cutler Bay's cleanup was part of a broader effort across Miami-Dade County. The International Coastal Cleanup drew volunteers to dozens of sites stretching from Aventura to Homestead.

The scale of the cleanup comes as researchers continue to document plastic pollution in Biscayne Bay. Florida International University researchers found an average of 39 pieces of microplastic per liter in some surface-water samples from the bay, according to Local 10.

No timeline for further restoration at Coastal Ridge Preserve has been announced. Residents can check the town's parks and recreation page for upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Coming up in the community: Palmetto Bay hosts a dog bash and farmers' market Sunday, Oct. 4. The Moss Center brings a free Spooky Symphony concert to Cutler Bay on Friday, Oct. 23.