Oyster Restoration in the Bronx River

I recently was alerted to the fact that oyster reef restoration efforts have been going on since 2007! The blog NYC Transported already has done an amazing job at creating a multimedia guide to oyster reef restoration efforts in NYC that I cannot even begin to attempt to surpass but I added a few Internet nuggets and video that I found on oyster reef conservation in general and other oyster reef restoration projects around the country.

Oyster reefs have declined by 85% and are the single most endangered marine habitat. This is hard to believe that in the United States, oysters used to grow on trees (the mangroves in Florida) as described by this New York Times article. It is not only important to save oyster reefs because they are endangered and to be able to enjoy them as a scrumptious snack, they also provide essential ecosystem services. Oysters maintain the integrity of estuaries, which provide breeding habitat for a variety of species, many of which have commercial value and improve water quality (they filter up to 50 gallons of water a day!, removing sediment and pollutants).

Like I have mentioned before, New York City used to be the oyster capital of the world in the 19th century. I finally got around to reading the Big Oyster by Mark Kurlansky over spring break. It turned out to be one of my favorite books because it combined food, the history of my favorite city, and ecology.

Active oyster restoration has been occurring in the Chesapeake Bay since 1994 by the Oyster Recovery Partnership and has seen some success in returning oysters to this area that was a runner-up to NYC as oyster capital of the world.