Volunteer Opportunities

..It is through our combined efforts that we can make a positive impact on our ​community..
 ..helping to keep our streets and local waterways clean and green.

Friends of the Bay volunteer opportunities ​come in every size and shape

Projects take place on the bay, at the beach, in the office, at school and even up Mill Creek! Some last only a few hours, while others require more of a time commitment. You can volunteer yourself, with your friends, your family, neighbors, your company, school, or community group.

Volunteer for projects to help preserve, protect, and restore the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor estuary and surrounding watershed! Opportunities include cleanups, research, help with streams and outfalls testing and water quality monitoring. Volunteers can also help with data entry, filing, fundraising, and staffing a table at events.
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For more information, please sign up below or call (516) 922-6666.

Current Volunteer Opportunities
Register Here

- Volunteer Opportunities -

  • Friends of the Bay hosts a beach cleanup every month from February through November. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate.

    View next beach cleanups

  • Our water quality monitoring season runs from May through October.
    We run our core monitoring program in addition to participating in Save the Sound's Unified Water Study.
    ​These programs run on alternating weeks. Both occur in the morning hours at the beginning of each work week. Volunteers go out on the Friends of the Bay boat to help with collecting water samples and recording data.
    Water quality volunteers must be responsible and reliable.

  • This can involve signing in volunteers and giving out supplies at our monthly cleanups or being present and giving out information at other outreach events. We can always use an extra person to help with tabling.

  • You can organize your own cleanup in groups of up to four people.

    Learn more

  • We have two rain gardens along the Western Waterfront in Oyster Bay that need tending. This mostly  involves weeding, planting and spreading mulch.

  • You can help monitor and record the distribution of Diamondback terrapins in our region by recording any sign of terrapin presence. 

    Learn more

  • We often need help updating our mailing lists, organizing files, keeping track of memberships, and sending out mailers and thank you letters.

  • This involves entering data collected during water quality monitoring trips into our excel database.

Sign Up for Volunteer Opportunities

- Testimonials From Our Volunteers -

"It was an absolute pleasure volunteering for Friends of the Bay! I volunteered for water quality monitoring last year, and coordinators Amanda and Caroline were really helpful in showing me how to get things done and answered any questions I had. It was an enjoyable learning experience and a great way to be involved in the community." - Navairah, 2024

"Came for the ecological restoration, stayed for the 5am water sampling sunrises. Folks, if you want to do something about keeping Long Island wild and beautiful, there's no better place to start than your own backyard. This org is run by your neighbors and friends, and lets you get your feet wet (ha!) when doing real impact on our beloved bay. Would lug oysters again." - Jay, 2024