BATON ROUGE — Louisiana is gearing up for its first coordinated, month-long waterway cleanup effort, with Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful calling on more residents to get involved ahead of the Sept. 1 kickoff of Love Our Waterways.

More than 140 cleanup events have already been registered across the state. New events are being added each week as businesses, schools, civic organizations, outdoor groups, families and volunteers commit to cleaning rivers, lakes, bayous, beaches, canals and shorelines across the state throughout September.

"Louisiana's waterways are part of who we are," said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. "They fuel our economy, support our seafood and tourism industries and provide endless opportunities for fishing, boating, paddling and outdoor recreation."

The initiative was inspired by the success of Love the Boot Week. It aims to reduce litter before it reaches the Gulf, protect fish and wildlife habitats, improve water quality and preserve the natural beauty of the state.

"Research shows that nearly 80 percent of marine litter originates on land where wind and rain carry trash into storm drains, ditches, bayous, rivers and eventually the coast," said Susan Russell, executive director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful.

Volunteers can get involved in several ways, including organizing or joining a shoreline cleanup, cleaning waterways by kayak, canoe, paddleboard or motorized boat and removing litter from neighborhood storm drains and roadside ditches before it reaches local waterways.

Participants are also encouraged to document the types of litter collected and report larger debris such as abandoned vessels, derelict crab traps and other oversized items that require specialized removal. That information will help guide future cleanup efforts and support partner agencies.

The first 200 registered cleanup events are eligible to receive a volunteer supply box while supplies last. Individuals and organizations can register a cleanup event, volunteer for an existing event or learn more by visiting LoveLAWaterways.org.