Keeping Florida's countless waterways clean and beautiful isn't an easy task, but luckily there are passionate volunteers willing to undertake the effort.
Those ventures are even more important now as the state faces the most persistent red tide in decades, an outbreak of blue-green algae blooms and pollution-related issues.
Below is a list of local groups putting in the work to clean up beaches, estuaries, canals, springs and more.
Brevard County
Keep Brevard Beautiful
Contact: 321-631-0501
Website: KeepBrevardBeautiful.org
Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition
Contact: info@helpthelagoon.org
Website: helpthelagoon.org
Marine Resources Council
Contact: 321-725-7775 or council@mrcirl.org
Website: SaveTheIRL.org
Surfrider Foundation, Sebastian Inlet chapter
Contact: bogator@att.net
Website: surfrider.org
Sea Turtle Preservation Society
Contact: 321-206-0646
Website: seaturtlespacecoast.org
Brevard Zoo’s Restore our Shores
Contact: 321-254-9453
Website: restoreourshores.org
Volusia County
Adopt a Beach
Contact: 386-238-4716; bokeefe@volusia.org
Website: www.volusia.org
Monofilament recycling & recovery program
Contact: 386-736-2700
Website: volusia.org
Washback Watchers
Contact: 386-238-4716 or 238-4668
Website: volusia.org
St. Johns River Keeper
Contact: 904-256-7591
Website: stjohnsriverkeeper.org
UF/IFAS Extension Volusia County
Contact: volusia@ifas.ufl.edu
Website: sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/volusia
Flagler County
Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol
Contact: 386-763-0977; VolusiaTurtlePatrol@gmail.com
Website: www.turtlepatrol.com
Volusia-Flagler Surfrider Foundation
Contact: chair@volusia.surfrider.org
Website: volusiaflagler.surfrider.org
Orange County
Eco-Action Inc.
Contact: 678-876-1373 ; info@eco-action.net
Website: eco-action.net
Orange County Environmental volunteer and internship program
Contact: evip@ocfl.net ; 407-836-1400
Website: www.ocfl.net
Seminole County
SERV: Seminole Education, Restoration & Volunteer
Contact: jjreij@seminolecountyfl.gov ; 407-665-5601
Website: www.seminolecountyfl.gov
Florida Lakewatch
Contact: 407-665-2424 ; mlackey@seminolecountyfl.gov
Website: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu
Have a volunteer group you'd like to see added to the list? Email acutway@wkmg.com. You can also click here for more information on how you can help improve Florida's water situation.