Indian River County, Coastal Connections, gear up for annual clean up event
By Justin Breckenridge
August 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM EDT
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Volunteers are invited to participate in the International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Tracking Station Beach Park and more than 20 other locations across Indian River County, including Ambersands Beach Access, Golden Sands Park, Humiston Beach Park, Jaycee Park, Sebastian Inlet State Park, South Beach Park, Wabasso Beach Park, and Turtle Trail. The annual event, organized by Ocean Conservancy, is the world’s largest volunteer effort to remove trash from oceans and waterways.
“This is an event that happens every year, and it's led by the Ocean Conservancy, which is the world's largest volunteer cleanup effort to protect the ocean from pollutants,” said Kylie Yanchula, the county’s natural resources director. “They initiated this program in 1986, and more than 18 million volunteers have removed over 380 million pounds of debris from beaches, waterways, and coastlines.”
Yanchula said the county’s participation as a Park Champion helps organize volunteers, track the types of debris collected, and measure the pounds of trash removed.
“Our participation in the particular event is we are a champion of a site,” she said. “By sponsoring a location, you're keeping track of various different things. You are keeping track of the types of debris that you are collecting. You are keeping track of the number of volunteers that come out, and then at the end, the ultimate pounds of debris that you've collected.”
This year, the county will sponsor Tracking Station Beachfront Park, a site monitored regularly.
"We think it's really important that the county helps participate in this so that not only are we collecting debris and trash from our sites, but we're also being good stewards of the environment in our community. We want to ultimately be part of this effort and to help make sure that our residents are aware and that they are engaged,” Yanchula said.
Jeanna Kent, Coastal Cleanup programs specialist with Coastal Connections, said the cleanup is the largest volunteer event of the year.
“Last year, we were able to garner about 1,100 participants, and we're hoping to surpass that this year,” she said. Kent added that cleanups are part of the organization’s ongoing mission to reduce marine debris.
Kent noted that cigarette butts remain the most commonly collected debris, followed by microplastics, which pose a risk to marine wildlife.
“Our main area of concern is for sea turtles. They will ingest microplastics or nanoplastics, and their stomachs get so full of plastic that it gives them the feeling that they are full, but they're not. They will stop eating and no longer get the nutrients that they need to survive,” Kent said.
“Our main goal is just to limit that single-use plastic,” Kent continued. “Whether it be ditching the plastic water bottles and using a reusable water bottle, no longer using the plastic grocery sacks, bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store, all of these smaller actions can lead to a large impact.”
Cleanup volunteers should bring water, sunscreen, hats, and insect repellent. The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m., with post-cleanup gatherings at select locations, including Walking Tree Brewery at Tracking Station Beach from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Participants who register by Sept. 14 will receive a free T-shirt. A full list of sites and registration information is available here.
“This is an event that happens every year, and it's led by the Ocean Conservancy, which is the world's largest volunteer cleanup effort to protect the ocean from pollutants,” said Kylie Yanchula, the county’s natural resources director. “They initiated this program in 1986, and more than 18 million volunteers have removed over 380 million pounds of debris from beaches, waterways, and coastlines.”
Yanchula said the county’s participation as a Park Champion helps organize volunteers, track the types of debris collected, and measure the pounds of trash removed.
“Our participation in the particular event is we are a champion of a site,” she said. “By sponsoring a location, you're keeping track of various different things. You are keeping track of the types of debris that you are collecting. You are keeping track of the number of volunteers that come out, and then at the end, the ultimate pounds of debris that you've collected.”
This year, the county will sponsor Tracking Station Beachfront Park, a site monitored regularly.
"We think it's really important that the county helps participate in this so that not only are we collecting debris and trash from our sites, but we're also being good stewards of the environment in our community. We want to ultimately be part of this effort and to help make sure that our residents are aware and that they are engaged,” Yanchula said.
Jeanna Kent, Coastal Cleanup programs specialist with Coastal Connections, said the cleanup is the largest volunteer event of the year.
“Last year, we were able to garner about 1,100 participants, and we're hoping to surpass that this year,” she said. Kent added that cleanups are part of the organization’s ongoing mission to reduce marine debris.
Kent noted that cigarette butts remain the most commonly collected debris, followed by microplastics, which pose a risk to marine wildlife.
“Our main area of concern is for sea turtles. They will ingest microplastics or nanoplastics, and their stomachs get so full of plastic that it gives them the feeling that they are full, but they're not. They will stop eating and no longer get the nutrients that they need to survive,” Kent said.
“Our main goal is just to limit that single-use plastic,” Kent continued. “Whether it be ditching the plastic water bottles and using a reusable water bottle, no longer using the plastic grocery sacks, bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store, all of these smaller actions can lead to a large impact.”
Cleanup volunteers should bring water, sunscreen, hats, and insect repellent. The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m., with post-cleanup gatherings at select locations, including Walking Tree Brewery at Tracking Station Beach from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Participants who register by Sept. 14 will receive a free T-shirt. A full list of sites and registration information is available here.