Volunteer

Making a difference in Tampa Bay

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.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Click on the event to learn more and register now.

Restoration Volunteer

  • Oyster Reef Ball Construction

  • Oyster Reef Ball Installation

  • Oyster Shell Recycling

  • Native Plantings

  • Coastal Cleanups

  • Fishing Line Recycling & Cleaning & More!

Register Now

Outreach Volunteer

  • Community Events

  • Corporate Fairs 

  • Festivals & Concerts & More!

Contact Us

Discovery Center Volunteer

  • Enhance visitor experiences

  • Educate visitors at our touch tank

  • Interact with animals

  • Support special events & More!

Learn more

Group Volunteers

  • Corporate Team Building

  • Group Community Service & More!

Contact US

Upcoming Projects

  • ORB Install

    Be a part of the Fred Crabill Fantasy Island Project! The project honors CCA Florida Life Legacy member and conservationist Fred Crabill and will create oyster reef habitat in an effort to increase biodiversity, reduce erosion and improve water quality in Tampa Bay. This project marks a significant step forward in enhancing the area’s shoreline resilience and protecting vital fish habitats. The project will involve the installation of oyster reef balls which is a heavy project as reef balls weigh 200 pounds each. Two people share the weight of each reef ball at a time to install it on the shoreline via boats and/or carts. The minimum age to volunteer is 16 years old.

    Register Here

Oyster Shell Recycling

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.

Volunteer FAQ's

  • Tampa Bay Watch recruits individual community members, corporate groups, school groups, scout groups, local clubs and others to accomplish restoration projects. 2,345 volunteers participated with us in 2025.

  • Interested volunteers should reference our scheduled project dates on the above project calendar.

  • Coastal Cleanups and native plantings are family friendly and open to all ages. The minimum age to participate in oyster reef ball construction and installation is 16 years old as it's a physical project.

  • Although Tampa Bay Watch’s headquarters are located in Tierra Verde, habitat restoration projects take place in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Manatee Counties. 

  • Our projects are on a scheduled basis as they are dependent on funding, permitting, tides, and partnerships. The majority of our projects take place during the work week, Monday through Friday, and take place from 9 AM – 12 PM. We average one project per month on a Saturday morning. Spring and fall are the busiest time of year for habitat restoration projects due to the weather and tides being optimal.

    We do not have many projects over summer due to the heat and our focus lies with providing camps for children.

  • Please contact the volunteer coordinator to recommend a project for your group.

  • It’s an opportunity to participate in local habitat restoration while also building ties within the community and working with others who are dedicated to restoring Tampa Bay.

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. 

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.

Learn more

Contact Rachel Arndt with questions about volunteering at Tampa Bay Watch: rarndt@tampabaywatch.org