Adopt-A-Lot Program helps keep Edwards clean

  • Published
  • By Lee Manning
  • 412th Civil Engineer Squadron

Edwards Air Force Base, California, has an active Adopt-A-Lot program to maintain large unimproved areas of the base. You may have noticed signage in many areas on base stating who is responsible for the areas. The Adopt-A-Lot Program is a joint effort between military, civilian, and private groups located in and around the Edwards AFB Community. The Adopt-A-Lot Program is voluntary and open to any and all groups currently having business on or utilizing the base.

The primary requirement for getting involved in the program is an organizational commitment to sponsor a lot and a willingness to keep it free of unwanted trash and debris. Several lots are still available for adoption. Cleaning the area is a great group activity which provides an enhanced base appearance and a pride that you have helped make the base a better place to live and work.

As fall/winter approaches, it brings a new set of challenges for our Adopt-A-Lot program. Short cold days, wind, and occasional rain make the task of keeping Edwards AFB clean and trash free more difficult and make getting group sponsors/patrons harder this time of year. However, we still need more sponsors to establish new lots. 

There are a few requirements that govern the base’s Adopt-A-Lot Program participation. You must be ready, willing, and able to donate your time and a few resources to help pick up trash and debris from an assigned lot. Generally, you can do a drive by of the lot once per month and pick-up trash or debris as needed. You could schedule a few volunteers once a month to perform a walk-through of the lot to keep up the appearance and maintain the community pride. However, you must schedule time and volunteers to perform clean-up at least twice per year, once for the annual Spring Clean-Up week and once at, or around, the fall season. We also ask participation to check their lots when Team Edwards has a scheduled VIP visit to project a positive image of the base. 

Regulations require that any unknown, hazardous, or otherwise unidentifiable substance or debris found on the lots be reported to the appropriate base authority. It is always a good idea to dress appropriately when walking through fields and natural habitat – boots that cover your ankle, long sleeves shirts, and gloves are recommended for safety. Edwards AFB Adopt-A-Lot Program requires a 2-year commitment, a point of contact, and a contact telephone number for organizational participation. 

Please contact the 412th CES Service Contracts Element, Mr. Lee Manning at DSN: 527-1037 or commercial 661-277-1037 for any questions you may have regarding the Adopt-A-Lot Program and enrollment as a sponsor. Let us all do our part to make the “Center of the Aerospace Testing Universe” an even better place to live and work.