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.

Restoration Volunteer

Oyster Reef Ball Construction

Oyster Reef Ball Installation

Oyster Shell Recycling

Native Plantings

Coastal Cleanups

Fishing Line Recycling & Cleaning

& More!

Upcoming Projects →

Outreach Volunteer

Community Events

Corporate Fairs

Festivals & Concerts

& More!

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!

Upcoming projects

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.

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.

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

Volunteer FAQ's

Where does Tampa Bay Watch get volunteers?

Tampa Bay Watch recruits individual community members, corporate groups, school groups, scout groups, local clubs and others to accomplish restoration projects. 2,895 volunteers participated with us in 2022.

How can I get involved?

Interested volunteers should reference our scheduled projects and register to receive our weekly e-newsletter to get first notices of upcoming opportunities.

Is there an age requirement to volunteer?

The majority of our habitat restoration projects are open to volunteers of all ages with the exception of oyster reef ball construction and installation since it is very heavy work. The minimum age for this project is 16 years old. If you have a question about a project, please contact our volunteer coordinator.

Where do your projects take place?

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

When do your projects take place?

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.

How can my company become involved?

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

Why should I become involved with Tampa Bay Watch?

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.

Volunteer Event Calendar

	October 2024
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	1 Oyster Reef Ball Construction Oyster Reef Ball Construction October 1, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting 20-30 volunteers to build oyster reef balls at Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. The minimum age to participate is sixteen years old since this is a physical project which requires bending, stooping, and some heavy lifting. Click here to register to volunteer. See more details •	2	3 Living Shoreline Installation Living Shoreline Installation October 3, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL 33621, USA THIS PROJECT IS CANCELLED. Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline through the installation of a series of oyster shell bars and oyster reef balls at MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you'll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance. See more details •	4 Living Shoreline Installation Living Shoreline Installation October 4, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL 33621, USA THIS PROJECT IS CANCELLED. Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline through the installation of a series of oyster shell bars and oyster reef balls at MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you'll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance. See more details •	5	6
7	8 Outreach Volunteer Training Outreach Volunteer Training October 8, 2024 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Grand Central Brewhouse, 2340 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33712, USA THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED due to Milton. Stay tuned for rescheduled date. Are you a people person? We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to represent Tampa Bay Watch at community events like outdoor festivals and farmers' markets. Join us for our Outreach Volunteer Training on Tuesday, October 8, from 6-7 PM at Grand Central Brewhouse in St. Pete. You'll learn all about our mission, so you can confidently share it at events. The evening will include a presentation, and we'll provide food too! Ready to make a difference? Please RSVP to Rachel at rarndt@tampabaywatch.org See more details •	9	10	11	12	13 FL Halloween Distance Classic FL Halloween Distance Classic October 13, 2024 7:00 am - 10:00 am Fort De Soto Park, Florida, USA THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED SINCE FORT DE SOTO PARK IS CLOSED THROUGH OCTOBER. We're the proud charity partner of Florida Road Races for the third year in a row! It's our role to help recruit volunteers for their races. In return, a portion of proceeds benefit the mission of TBW. The second event of the fall season is the Florida Halloween Distance Classic. Volunteers are needed to pass out race packets prior to the event, set up, and pour beer. Click here to see the available shifts. See more details •
14	15 Oyster Reef Ball Construction Oyster Reef Ball Construction October 15, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting 20-30 volunteers to build oyster reef balls at Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. The minimum age to participate is sixteen years old since this is a physical project which requires bending, stooping, and some heavy lifting. This project is full, thank you for your support! See more details •	16	17	18	19	20
21 Native Plant Harvest Native Plant Harvest October 21, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL 33572, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers for a native grass harvest project at Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL 33572. The project involves pulling plant plugs from the ground of the marsh that will be planted in our Bay Grasses in Classes (BGIC) school nurseries. This project is full, thank you for your support! See more details •	22 Oyster Reef Ball Construction Oyster Reef Ball Construction October 22, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting 20-30 volunteers to build oyster reef balls at Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. The minimum age to participate is sixteen years old since this is a physical project which requires bending, stooping, and some heavy lifting. This project is full, thank you for your support! See more details •	23 Living Shoreline Installation Living Shoreline Installation October 23, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL 33621, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline through the installation of a series of oyster shell bars and oyster reef balls at MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you'll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance. Click here to register to volunteer. See more details •	24 Living Shoreline Installation Living Shoreline Installation October 24, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL 33621, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline through the installation of a series of oyster shell bars and oyster reef balls at MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you'll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance. Click here to register to volunteer. See more details •	25 Living Shoreline Installation Living Shoreline Installation October 25, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL 33621, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build a living shoreline through the installation of a series of oyster shell bars and oyster reef balls at MacDill Air Force Base. The deadline for registration is one week prior to the project to allow time for security clearance, so you'll be pre-approved for entry. Your driver license information is required for MacDill to perform the clearance. Click here to register to volunteer. See more details •	26	27
28	29 Oyster Reef Ball Construction Oyster Reef Ball Construction October 29, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting 20-30 volunteers to build oyster reef balls at Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. The minimum age to participate is sixteen years old since this is a physical project which requires bending, stooping, and some heavy lifting. This project is full, thank you for your support! See more details •	30	31 Mono Clean-a-thon Mono Clean-a-thon October 31, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, USA Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers for a "Mono Clean-a-thon" at Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. We'll be cleaning "mono" or fishing line which involves sorting through the 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 (FWC) statewide initiative for proper recycling and repurposing of used fishing line. Click here to register to volunteer. See more details •

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Volunteer

Making a difference in Tampa Bay

Upcoming projects

Oyster Shell Recycling

Adopt A Monotube

Volunteer FAQ's

Volunteer Event Calendar

October 2024

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