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Bay Area residents protect waterways with cleanup and conservation events

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Published  September 16, 2025 10:06am EDT
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Hillsborough River cleanup

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Hillsborough River cleanup

Volunteers are spending their Tuesday morning cleaning up the banks of the Hillsborough River.

The Brief

    • Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and the Environmental Protection Commission are teaming up for a week of cleanups and conservation events.
    • Volunteers kicked things off at Lettuce Lake Park and are continuing today with an eco-walk cleanup along the Riverwalk.
    • The initiative is part of the annual Hillsborough River and Coastal Cleanup, promoting marine education and environmental stewardship.

TAMPA, Fla. - Bay Area residents are coming together all week long to protect local waterways.

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful launched its annual Hillsborough River and Coastal Cleanup on Monday at Lettuce Lake Park. Tuesday, volunteers gathered at USF Riverwalk Park in downtown Tampa for a two-mile eco-walk, picking up litter and debris along the waterfront.

The backstory:

The cleanup is part of a special Spirit Week hosted in partnership with the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Each day features a different event designed to combine conservation, education, and hands-on service.

Organizers say every bag of trash collected helps restore marine habitats, improve water quality, and keep Tampa Bay’s coastlines beautiful for future generations.

What's next:

Cleanup efforts continue through September 19, with more volunteer opportunities across Hillsborough County. 

Click here to see a full schedule of Spirit Week events. 

The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez. 

Hillsborough CountyEnvironment