Oysters are a keystone species and are ecological engineers in the Chesapeake Bay. This means that without oysters, the Chesapeake Bay would look very different. Due to overfishing in the late 1800's and early 1900s, disease, and polluted water, oyster populations are less than 1% of historic levels.
Through our community-centered oyster restoration program, we plant juvenile oysters in Harris Creek to support and enhance the wild oyster population and improve water clarity. The oysters we plant have spent close to an entire year being tended by our volunteer growers, meaning they are well on their way to becoming adults. This means they likely have a much higher survival rate than if we were planting baby oysters (spat).
By financially supporting this program, you are helping to cover the cost of transportation, staff time, and supplies to ensure a successful program.
To date, we have planted over 780,000 juvenile oysters!