Scheduled Projects – Tampa Bay Watch

scheduled projects

We couldn’t accomplish any of our restoration or education goals without the help of our active volunteer base! Volunteers of all ages from children to retirees help in habitat restoration projects, lend a hand at our annual fundraisers, and represent our organization at community events to increase awareness. On an annual basis, approximately 2,000 volunteers from corporate groups, families, individuals, and more help us accomplish our mission. Still have questions? Click here!

If you would like to volunteer with a group, please contact Rachel Arndt directly at rarndt@tampabaywatch.org

Upcoming events:

Volunteer to Recycle Oyster Shell

We are seeking the help of a few tenacious volunteers to support our Shells for Shorelines program to assist in collecting oyster shell donations from our partner restaurants on a weekly basis. Duties include picking up the shell, dropping them off at the curing pad, and delivering clean buckets to the restaurants. Volunteers should have the ability to lift 35 lbs, a personal vehicle capable of carrying up to ten 5-gallon buckets, and comfortable with Florida flora and fauna typically associated with decomposition of organic matter.

A required training is offered on Fridays at 8 AM by riding along with our staff on their route meeting in Tierra Verde.

Email Rachel if you’re interested in helping out.

Oyster Reef Ball Construction

Specified weekday mornings from 9 AM – 12 PM

Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715.

Minimum age: 16 years old

Our most frequent volunteer project is building oyster reef balls which involves pouring marine-friendly concrete into a fiberglass mold and taking apart the molds that were previously poured. The reef balls will be installed at a future date to stabilize shorelines and prevent erosion while creating habitat similar to natural oyster communities found along shoreline areas throughout Tampa Bay. Click here to visit our webpage to learn more about reef balls.

Living Shoreline Project at Abercrombie Park

November 30, December 1, 14, & 15

9 AM – 12 PM

Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline at Abercrombie Park, Park St. & 38th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33709.

December 1 & 15: The project involves shoveling fossilized shell into mesh bags, transporting the bags via boat and placing them on the shoreline to create a series of oyster bars. This project is an effort to restore lost habitat systems to the bay, prevent further erosion of the shoreline and improve water quality through natural biological filtration.

November 30 & December 14: Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to help install oyster reef balls. This is a heavy project as reef balls weigh 200 pounds each. Two people will carry one reef ball at a time to install it on the shoreline. Reef balls stabilize shorelines and prevent erosion while creating habitat similar to natural oyster communities found along shoreline areas throughout Tampa Bay.

Register to volunteer by clicking a date below:

Oyster Shell Project at MacDill Air Force Base

December 7 & 8, 9 AM – 12 PM

Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to create an oyster reef on the shoreline of MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for volunteer registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you’ll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver’s license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance.

The project involves shoveling fossilized shell into mesh bags and placing them on the shoreline to create a series of oyster bars. This project is an effort to restore lost habitat systems to the bay, prevent further erosion of the shoreline and improve water quality through natural biological filtration.

Click here to read more about the project and/or watch a video of a past oyster shell project.

December 7

December 8

Mono Clean-a-thon

December 12
9 am – 12 noon

Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715.

Minimum age: 15 years old

Volunteers are needed to clean “mono” or fishing line which involves sorting through the used line to remove debris, then cutting out hooks and lures. The clean line will be contributed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s statewide initiative for proper recycling and repurposing of used fishing line. Click here to read more about this important program.

Adopt A Monotube

Help us keep fishing line out of Tampa Bay!
Tampa Bay Watch partners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in their statewide initiative to recycle used fishing line through a network of monofilament collection tubes called “monotubes”. Monofilament or “mono”, is another term for the commonly used plastic fishing line which has great fishing utility, but takes over 600 years to break down. Improperly discarded line can end up in our local ecosystems and may result in wildlife entanglement, accidental hooks, and ingestion. Let’s keep fishing line out of our waterways!

Adoption involves checking your designated location once a month to empty its contents and clean/prep the collected line for recycling. We are asking that volunteers commit a minimum of one year for any chosen site. The clean line will be contributed to FWC’s statewide initiative for proper recycling and repurposing of used fishing line. Go to our webpage to learn more about our monofilament recycling program: https://tampabaywatch.org/marine-debris/fishing-line-recycling/.

Take action to combat marine debris and protect our wildlife by adopting monotubes at one of the locations listed below.

Pinellas County:

R.E. Olds Park Pier

107 Shore Dr. W. Oldsmar

1 monotube

Manatee County:

South Skyway Fishing Pier – Volunteer to start in mid-September

Southwest side of Skyway Bridge (on small bridge before booth and on pier until bait shop) – **approximately 28 monotubes**

Ready to adopt? Fill out this form to request a site location. https://arcg.is/0izjXj

Be the face of Tampa Bay Watch!

Are you a people person? Be the face of Tampa Bay Watch by becoming an outreach volunteer! We regularly seek volunteers to represent our organization at community events, corporate fairs, and concerts with a goal to increase awareness of our mission. As an outreach volunteer, you’ll talk to people who approach our display to learn all about us and encourage them to sign up to receive the Tampa Bay Watch weekly newsletter. We’ll provide you with our display and handouts to effectively discuss programs. Volunteers are responsible for transporting the display and materials to and from Tampa Bay Watch. Email Rachel at rarndt@tampabaywatch.org if you’re interested in representing us at community events.

Volunteer at the Discovery Center

Our Discovery Center on the St. Pete Pier is currently recruiting volunteers ages 16 and over to engage visitors in conversation about the creatures on display, the local ecosystem, and Tampa Bay Watch’s work. You will be an important advocate for our programs and the bay! There is no special experience or knowledge required, we will provide a training guide and you will be invited to shadow an experienced person before you begin. Volunteers should be available to attend a regularly scheduled half-day shift at least once a week. Please complete the volunteer application if you’re interested in volunteering.

Contact Rachel Arndt with questions about volunteering at Tampa Bay Watch:

rarndt@tampabaywatch.org