Merritt Island needs volunteers Saturday for its monthly Trash Bash
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is one of the more pristine places in Brevard County.
Still, signs of humans, in the form of cigarette butts, their plastic cups, fishing line and other litter are found even there.
So on Saturday, refuge officials are hoping for a healthy turnout of volunteers to help clean up the chronic mess that seems to grow worse every year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's monthly Trash Bash on Saturday is among several litter pickups this month aiming to brush up Brevard's beauty. (See the event details below.)
Birds and other wildlife get tangled up in all the mess we leave behind, or clogged up when they mistake food wrappers, fishing tackle, bags or balloons for food. Then there's the disease-spreading vermin food waste can attract.
And Brevard's litter problem keeps pilling on, as the refuge's visitors almost doubled in 2020 from 1.6 million to 2.8 million, when county boat ramps closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing an influx of boaters and fishermen to the refuge. Last year, 2.1 million people visited the refuge, some leaving their litter behind.
"With the increase in visitation, there was, unfortunately, an increase in the litter problem," said Kim King-Wrenn, the refuge's visitor services manager.
Plastic washes up on Cocoa Beach
Crews of dedicated volunteers struggle to cover the refuge's more than 60,000 acres that is open to the public, King-Wrenn added. "The volunteers can't be everywhere," she said. "Fishing line is one of the biggest problems. Animals can become entangled with disastrous results."
The refuge's clean-ups happen on the second Saturday of each month beginning on Jan. 13 and continuing through April.
Volunteers can check in any time in the morning after 8 a.m. Saturday at the Merritt Island refuge's west entrance kiosk, just after crossing the Max Brewer bridge and entering the refuge.
There they can pick up clean-up supplies and a map of an area that needs to be cleaned up. After cleaning up an assigned spot, they can return the supplies to the kiosk by noon and receive a reward. "This is a great opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours," refuge officials said in a press release. For information, contact us at merrittisland@fws.gov or call (321) 861-0667.
Other litter cleanups in Brevard this month
Sandy Paws Beach Cleanup at Canova Park — 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Recurring Event. Join the cleanup at Canova Beach in Melbourne. The event is hosted by Sandy Paws Brevard and takes place the 2nd Saturday of each month. Contact: hfsteinberger@yahoo.com
Hot Yoga on the Island-Merritt Island — Monthly cleanup 7:30 a.m. to 8:30.a.m. every 3rd Saturday at Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral. Call 321-452-9642.
Clean Beach Initiative With Carib Brewery — 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. Join Carib Brewery's team as they clean Alan Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach on every 3rd Saturday of the month.
For listings of other upcoming events, visit Keep Brevard Beautiful at: https://keepbrevardbeautiful.org/events
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Merritt Island refuge needs volunteers Saturday for its Trash Bash
