More than 2,000 volunteers are expected to participate in the 6th Annual Riverkeeper Sweep of the Hudson River Saturday, to restore the river's banks from New York City to the Adirondacks.

While the river may often look like a dirty cross between green and brown, it's actually an important tidal estuary that dozens of fish and bird species rely on as habitat and breeding grounds.

For the first time, the clean-up will extend north of Troy to the Upper Hudson, and will also include the Bronx River in New York City.

"People want to take things into their own hands now, and they understand the importance of their own involvement,” said Sarah Womer, Riverkeeper's director of community engagement. 

Some of the most dangerous trash items collected are plastic bottles and straws, which can break down in waterways and be ingested by wildlife. Plastics can also attract and release contaminants into the water.

Riverkeeper is part of the Trash Free Waters Partnership, a collaboration that stretches across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to reduce plastic and debris in all water bodies, primarily in the New York and New Jersey region.

As in earlier years, the Riverkeeper team will catalog the debris, in hopes of limiting future trash on the river banks.

Riverkeeper is partnering with about two dozen New York City and Hudson Valley breweries to host meetups following the event, where participants will be treated to a free beverage on the house (non-alcoholic options are available).