Oyster Habitat: Education Program

Who cares about oysters? Most people only know that them as a delicacy on the half-shell or as a razor-sharp nuisance when wading through the sounds. Oysters, however, have many important roles when it comes to keeping our estuaries clean.

The Incredible Oyster

• Oysters are top-notch water filters, improving water quality by removing sediment, nutrients and plankton from the water as they feed.
• One adult oyster can filter between 25-50 gallons of water a day. Think what millions could do.
• Oyster reefs provide critical habitat for a diverse collection of aquatic animals, including many important commercial and recreational fish species. One healthy oyster reef can be home to over 300 different organisms, such as adult and juvenile fishes, shrimp, clams and crabs.

If oysters are thriving, it is likely and other shellfish and finfish that spend a part of their lifecycle in the estuary are also doing well.

(L-R): Shovels are helpful when moving shell into PVC pipes lined with mesh bags; Students from Croatan High School monitor an oyster reef at Hoop Pole Creek; Mesh bags with oyster shell are tied and stacked for later use.

Teaching Kids with Oysters

The federation’s Oyster Education Program strives to include students in all facets of restoring oyster reefs. We let the kids help bag oyster shells, put the bags on new reefs and monitor the restored reefs.

High school students from Onslow, Carteret and New Hanover counties have volunteered to work on restoration sites at Williston and Hoop Pole creeks in Carteret County, Airlie Gardens in New Hanover County and Stump Sound in Onslow County.

The federation is working on a program to involve high schools year-round through classroom education and field trips. The federation works with numerous schools on it oyster projects. Here’s a look at work done by students Croatan High School in Newport, Dixon High School in Holly Ridge and Jones Senior High School in Trenton.

If you are interested in learning more about NCCF's educational opportunities for students, please contact one of our educational coordinators: Sarah Phillips [ Email ], Sara Jean Hallis [ Email ] or Ted Wilgis [ Email ].

SHOP |

Connect:

• Restoration & Education:

• NE Region
• Central Region
• SE Region
• Oyster Habitat
• Living Shorelines
• Wetlands