Oyster Bay Harbor and Beach Cleanup is Saturday

The Town of Oyster Bay will join North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association (NOBBA) and Friends of the Bay in sponsoring  the annual Oyster Bay Harbor and Beach Cleanup Day on Saturday, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Volunteers are urged to participate.

“It’s a new year and a new chance for Town employees and volunteers to gather together, roll up their sleeves and pitch in to complete a thorough cleanup of beaches and shoreline areas along Oyster Bay harbor,” said Councilwoman Michele M. Johnson, in a news release.

“While some people walk along the shoreline collecting debris, others work from boats, picking up trash and even discarded boats,” she added. “This annual event is an inspiration, an excellent reminder to residents that we can all do our part to help preserve the precious ecology of one of the Town’s most sacred grounds, Oyster Bay Harbor.”

Satellite cleanups are also taking place in Bayville at Centre Island and Stehli Beaches, which are both on Bayville Avenue. Volunteers can also go directly to those locations and register near the main entrances.

At the beaches in Bayville staff from Audubon New York will be helping the Town educate about federally protected bird nesting areas for piping plovers and least terns, officials said.

“The goal is to encourage the public to reduce human disturbance of beach nesting habitat for these endangered birds,” Johnson noted. “The fencing for the nesting areas on portions of the beaches were put up a few weeks ago and will remain in place until August.”

Each year, tons of paper, food, plastics and other litter are left to rot on beaches or dumped overboard from commercial vessels to contaminate the ocean.

“Many people think this debris simply fades away, but that can take weeks, months or even years to biodegrade,” Johnson pointed out. “People would be amazed to learn how long trash can pollute an area before it finally disintegrates.”

“If you swim, boat or fish in Oyster Bay Harbor, or just want to help keep the beauty and environmental integrity of this beautiful waterway intact, I invite you to join us on April 26,” she said.

“Even if you only stay to help for a few hours, every bit of help makes a difference,” she noted. “I can assure that you will leave with the satisfaction of knowing that you helped improve the environment and ensure that our beaches and harbor will be preserved for your enjoyment and the enjoyment of generations to come.”

Learn more by calling the Town’s Department of Environmental Resources at 677-5943. Volunteers are also welcome to sign up the day of the event. The central meeting place will be near Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park launching ramps, Larrabee Avenue in Oyster Bay.