Baggin' Oysters!

Hello Everyone,

So here we are in Sunny Savannah Georgia! This project is amazing! We are working with the University of Georgia's Marine Extension Service Shellfish Research Laboratory on their project called Generating Enhanced Oyster Reefs in Georgia's Inshore Areas (G.E.O.R.G.I.A.). The objective of the project is to rebuild oyster reefs across Georgia's coast. This is important because the oyster is a "keystone species." This means that the oyster plays an important role in the lives of many organisms in their area. The oysters serve in preserving two ecosystems on the coast. In the water, the oyster reef not only provides a place for many marine animals to live and hide, but also keeps dangerous pollutants out of their habitat. An adult oyster can filter up to 2.5 gallons of water per hour! The oysters serve to filter out all the bacteria, pesticides and man-made pollutants that run off into the waterways. Also, the oysters preserve the wetlands along the shoreline. The reefs protect the shore from dangerous erosion.

Our goal is to build reef along the shore of Skidaway Island. To build the reef, we first fill mesh bags with oysters.

The goal for this reef is to fill 10,000 bags of oysters. After we make the oyster bags, we transport them to the site,

and then "plant" them along the water. "planting" is just the term for placing wood pallets along the shore and covering it in the bags of oysters.

When a baby oyster is "born", it floats around in the water until it finds a place to attach (or plant) itself. These baby oysters are attracted to surfaces containing calcium carbonate (which is highly present in other oyster shells). If the oyster babies settle on the soft ground, they have little to no chance of survival, but when they bind to other oyster shells, the oysters flourish.

After about a year, the mesh bags are no longer visable through the new oyster growth on top of them.

Check out http://www.shellfish.uga.edu/oysterrest.html to learn more about the programs UGA is working on to preserve the coastal environment.

In addition to an awesome project, we are living in a hotel in Savannah! I haven't spent a lot of time exploring because I am exhausted, but I am looking forward to taking sometime to experience the city and culture next weekend during my spring break (Friday-Monday).

Miss you all!

Casey