World Oceans Day 2016: The Tampa Bay Way

TAMPA, FL – Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful is calling all kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders, boaters, divers and anyone else who won’t mind getting wet to help clean up the county’s main waterways.

In honor of World Oceans Day, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Hillsborough County, the cities of Tampa and Temple Terrace and other organizations are looking for volunteers to help remove litter, debris and even invasive species from the Hillsborough River Watershed.

During the weekend of Saturday, June 11, there will be 11 locations around the Hillsborough River Watershed where volunteers can help with various cleanup efforts. Some areas require the services of watercraft while other sites will be for pedestrians only, allowing for participation from a wide variety of volunteers.

At all locations, registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the cleanup beginning at 9 a.m. Volunteers are asked to bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, closed-toed protective footwear. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful will provide trash bags, drinking water, and soft gloves. Promotional giveaways will be available until supplies last. Volunteers must supply their own watercraft.

The following locations are the official sites for the Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful World Oceans Day cleanup:

Saturday, June 11 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

• Bermuda Boulevard: 22nd Street to Desoto Park, Tampa
• Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park: 601 Old Water St, Tampa
• Marjorie Park, Davis Islands: 97 Columbia Drive, Tampa
• USF Riverfront Park: 6200 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, USF students and employees only
• Riverhills Park: 401 S. Riverhills Drive, Temple Terrace, canoes and kayaks only
• Rowlett Park: 2401 E. Yukon St., Tampa, walkers only
• Urban Kai Boat Ramp: 700 S. Florida Ave., Tampa
• Water Works Park: 1710 N. Highland Ave, Tampa, canoes and kayaks only
• Crystal Springs Preserve: 1609 Crystal Springs Foundation, Crystal Springs

Sunday, June 12

Picnic Island Park: 7409 Picnic Island Blvd, Tampa. This location will allow volunteers who have their own dive equipment, kayak or canoe to help with litter removal on and in the water. Volunteers are also needed for an invasive removal project on shore.

There is also a free Marine Debris Tracker app available for both Android and Apple to help volunteers report what debris they’ve found to Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

To register online, sign waiver forms and download the Marine Debris Tracker app, visit http://www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org/ and click on the World Oceans Day register link under Upcoming Events.

For more information about World Oceans Day, visit http://www.worldoceansday.org/.

Photo: The organization Sager der Samler fished bicycles and other trash out of the Aarhus Bay in Aarhus, Denmark, during a past World Oceans Day.

Images courtesy of World Oceans Day and Sager der Samler, Denmark

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