More than 25 youth and community members came together on Saturday, September 19, 2026, to mark International Coastal Cleanup Day with a community cleanup at Spencer’s Bay Wetlands, removing 462.80 pounds of waste from the area’s precious wetland and coastal spaces.
The cleanup was led by the IHO Nature Rangers and Volunteer Litter Prevention Wardens, with participation and support from JCI Antigua, Antigua Cruise Ports, EcoShores Sustainable Futures Network (ESFN), the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda Community Policing Division, the Antigua and Barbuda Girl Guides Association, and the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) Antigua and Barbuda.
The activity focused on removing waste primarily from the land and coastline waters, while also helping participants better understand the types of waste accumulating within these important ecosystems. Waste collected included televisions, luggage, glass, plastic bottles, oil containers, automotive and car-related waste, packaging materials and other discarded items.
Each bag of waste collected was individually weighed, while four televisions discovered within the area were researched and their estimated weights included in the overall assessment. The diversity of waste found highlights the range of materials that can enter and accumulate within vulnerable wetland and coastal environments.
The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) was contacted prior to the cleanup to facilitate the removal of the collected waste and its appropriate disposal at the landfill.
Following the cleanup, participants received an educational session facilitated by EcoShores Sustainable Futures Network (ESFN), connecting the practical cleanup activity with broader discussions around environmental stewardship, wetlands, waste management and community action.
Community members were also treated to breakfast from Blow Way Bakery in Pigotts as appreciation of their efforts to help keep Antigua and Barbuda clean.
The activity forms part of the IHO Nature Rangers’ ongoing work to strengthen conservation action and youth participation within the North East Marine Management Area (NEMMA). Previous activities have included cleanups in Parham, Seatons and Glanvilles, with youth and community members supporting efforts to address litter and protect important coastal spaces.
Britney McDonald, Project Manager for the IHO Nature Rangers, said, “Saturday’s cleanup demonstrated what can happen when young people, community members, organisations and partners come together around a shared responsibility. Removing 462.80 pounds of waste from these wetlands and coastal spaces signals that we have to continue building awareness, preventing waste at its source and investing in the people who are taking action to protect these spaces.”
The IHO Nature Rangers and partners are now looking ahead to the next phase of conservation activities, including upcoming mangrove replanting sessions and continued environmental education, community engagement and restoration activities. The IHO Nature Rangers will join EcoShores Sustainable Futures Network (ESFN) in its Do it Twice Campaign for McKinnons Wetlands on September 26th, 2026.
Partnership support is welcomed as the team works to expand these activities. Organisations, businesses and community members interested in supporting upcoming sessions, environmental education, cleanups and other conservation activities are encouraged to get involved.
This activity is part of the “Strengthening Conservation Actions in the North East Management Area, Antigua and Barbuda” project, which is led by the IHO-Nature Rangers and is funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and the World Bank with the implementing support of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute and partner Integrated Health Outreach and EcoShores Sustainable Futures Network.
For media inquiries or more information on the project, contact, Project Manager, Britney McDonald, britmcdonald@outlook.com, (268) 785-5169
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: IHO Nature Rangers And Partners Remove 462 Pounds of Waste From Spencer’s Bay Wetlands.