Ah, Shucks! Oyster reef building season has officially come to an end. During the season, our Restore Our Shores conservation team constructed 18 oyster reefs throughout the North basin of the Indian River Lagoon, totaling 13,700 square feet of reef.

Our Restore Our Shores (ROS) team is always looking to try new methods in its efforts to improve the Indian River Lagoon, whether it’s taking on an experimental seagrass planting project or trying out a new material in our oyster restoration projects. One such new material: coquina!

We’re celebrating four years since taking our Shuck and Share program in-house! Over those years, we’ve accomplished a lot as part of this program to collect oyster shell from local restaurants to be used in restoration projects.

Our Restore Our Shores team has seen some early success in using a plastic-free material called a gabion in our oyster restoration projects.

Our Restore Our Shores team recently finished their largest living shoreline to date—adding almost 1,000 feet of oyster reefs and vegetation to the lagoon!

Oysters are more than just a tasty appetizer—they’re essential to maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems in the Indian River Lagoon and beyond.