Quest to protect manatee habitat underway in Pinellas

A St. Petersburg man is on a kayaking mission to keep the area waterways clean for manatees and other wildlife - and he's hoping to land a big grant to help him do it.

For seven years, Kurt Zuelsdorf has been cleaning up trash and debris from mangroves, which can sometimes be a little tricky.

"If you see anything floating… If you see cans or bottles pick them up," said Zuelsdorf.

On a recent day, he and a group of children picked up around Bear Creek as part of the Habitat Florida Manatee program.

The main goal is to protect the sensitive habitats, home to manatees, fish, and birds.

"We want to make it as inviting as possible by keeping as much of the human element out of it as possible," said Zuelsdorf.

Throughout the year, Zuelsdorf teaches young people the harmful effects of storm water runoff.

Because of that runoff, Zuelsdorf has picked up nearly 200,000 pounds of trash.

"To keep the water safe and to protect the animals from being extinct," kayaker Hannah Berman said, when asked why she was participating in the project.

Zuelsdorf said he is hoping to receive a $50,000 grant from Pepsi to expand the effort far beyond Pinellas County.

"It's fun to watch nature do what it does," said Zuelsdorf. "It puts everybody in a neutral space."

Over the years, the team has collected dozens of chairs, tables, and a whopping 50 shopping carts.