SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — Tampa Bay's oyster habitat has shrunk by nearly 85% over the past few decades because of human activity, according to Tampa Bay Watch.

The nonprofit has been collecting recycled oyster shells to put back in the water to restore what's been lost, while also protecting the shoreline.

What You Need To Know

  • Tampa Bay has seen a decline in oyster habitat over the years because of human activity.

  • Oyster reefs provide a habitat for marine life, help improve water quality and protect the shoreline from erosion, experts say.

  • Volunteers began installing an oyster reef at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor on Saturday.

  • Pinellas County is looking for more people to help with the work for the next two weekends.

On Saturday morning, dozens of community volunteers began installing an oyster reef at Philippe Park Park in Safety Harbor using those recycled shells. Christopher Vaughn, a volunteer, said he's always been drawn to the water and wanted to do what he could to help support Tampa Bay's watershed.

"I feel like we’re seeing so many declines in our water, our ocean quality and biodiversity in the ocean," Vaughn said. "So, anything I can do to help that a little bit. I’m not an expert, I’m not a scientist. I’m nothing crazy, I work in marketing. But I can hand shells down a line."

Roughly 24 tons of recycled oyster shells, collected from local restaurants, will be used to fill the half-acre reef. It's part of Pinellas County's Living Shoreline Program, which uses natural resources to protect the coastline from erosion.

Stacey Day, the county's environmental program manager, explained that oyster reefs provide a habitat for marine life, filter the water and protect the shoreline by breaking up wave energy. 

“We live, work and play here so it’s important to make it better," Day said. "Actually out in Old Tampa Bay, there is some pretty poor water quality. At certain times of the year, we have an algae bloom that can actually cause some fish kills. So, the oyster community will actually help improve those conditions.”

It's hard work to move the thousands of pounds of oyster shells. But to Vaughn, it's worth the sweat and early morning wakeup call to help a cause he cares about.

"I love water sports – I love wakeboarding, I love being out on the boat, I love doing all that sort of stuff," he said. "So if I’m going to be out on the water making an impact, then I want to be offsetting my impact by doing something to help."

Pinellas County, in partnership with Oyster River Ecology (ORE) and the Ecosphere Restoration Institute, is looking for more volunteers to help install the oyster reef over the next two weekends. Volunteers will be meeting at Philippe Park Park in Safety Harbor on Saturday, July 29 and Saturday, August 5 starting at 8 a.m. Volunteers can register here.

If you plan to volunteer, organizers recommend wearing sunscreen, a hat, close-toed shoes and clothes you don't mind getting wet and dirty.