Newport Beach residents can turn bay pollution into artwork at a free OC Parks program on Saturday, Sept. 26.

"Artistic Ecology: Trash to Treasure" runs from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 2301 University Drive. The program is part of a recurring OC Parks series that combines art-making with ecology education.

It starts with a three-quarter-mile nature walk along uneven dirt trails to the marsh. Participants learn what pollutants enter the waterway and how both plants and people help clean the ecosystem.

After the walk, participants use discarded materials to create original artwork. Possible creations include animals, landscapes or abstract pieces. All materials are provided.

The program is open to ages 14 and older. Registration is free and required in advance through letsgooutside.org. Parking is also free. Participants should wear closed-toed shoes and clothes they don't mind getting dirty.

Ten spots were still available as of Sept. 14, according to the registration page.

The Muth Interpretive Center sits within the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, a 135-acre stretch of bluffs and bay that OC Parks manages as part of a larger network of nearly 60,000 acres across Orange County. About 665,000 visitors walked the preserve's trails or attended programs at the center in 2025, according to OC Parks resource specialist Emma Boulter.

In an August feature in Newport Beach News, Boulter called the center the "educational and interpretive hub of the larger 1,000-acre Back Bay reserve." In an April Q&A with Newport Connection, she described leading a range of interpretive programs at the preserve, including art programs and restoration events.