Fully half of Virginia is drained by Chesapeake Bay rivers, and two-thirds of the state's population lives within the Bay watershed. From the farm fields of the Shenandoah Valley to the pinewoods of the Eastern Shore, for most Virginians the Bay is as close as the nearest creek or stream.

OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING

The current Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) oyster shell recycling program--Save Oyster Shell (or "SOS")--is an expansion of a successful shell recycling effort started in 2005. This program is a partnership among the CBF, restaurants, communities, and dedicated volunteers with a goal of restoring oyster habitat in Virginia waterways.

Baby oysters begin life as free-floating larvae but quickly settle to the bottom and attach themselves to hard surfaces, which is why you see oysters growing in clumps on pilings and concrete. However, their preferred place to grow is on other shells. Unfortunately, many of the tributaries in Virginia lack enough shell for baby oysters to find. CBF is working with local partners to help Hampton Roads individuals and businesses collect oyster and clam shells and place them overboard to help turn the tide on declining oyster stocks.

Lynnhaven River 2007, the City of Virginia Beach and CBF saw promising community support of a pilot shell recycling program in Virginia Beach last summer and will be resuming the expanding program in January.

With the help of NOAA-Restore America's Estuaries, CBF will continue to expand the shell recycling program to include shell collection from oyster roasts and seafood festivals As well as more restaurants and citizen drop-off locations. The contents of these containers and storage sites will be collected twice per week and taken to a centralized location to cure, a process of drying and cleansing of bacteria.

After several months, these shells are used in restoration projects, such as building oyster reefs or constructing or in spat on shell production, a process that allows oyster larvae to attach to the shells and grow into a natural oyster reef.

For information about participating in "Save Oyster Shells" contact Jackie Harmon at jharmon@cbf.org or 757.622.1964.