Skidaway River Site

The project site is located adjacent to Skidaway Island’s northwest side behind the University of Georgia’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium. The goal was to enhance ~0.4 acres of habitat using materials suitable for larval oyster settlement such as recycled oyster shell bags placed on top of wooden pallets to encourage reef formation along the shoreline. It is hoped that the area between te oyster reefs and the marsh will fill in with sediment and marsh grass.

Strategy

While working on the G.E.O.R.G.I.A. Project (Generating Enhanced Oyster Reefs in Georgia’s Inshore Areas), a team of 150 AmeriCorps volunteers donated nearly 1,900 hours over four weeks to bag and deploy oyster shells in parallel rows along a vegetative edge of the Skidaway River.

The G.E.O.R.G.I.A. Project works to regenerate living oyster reefs in coastal waters by creating habitats with bags of recycled oyster shells utilizing volunteers to involve the community in restoration efforts.

Results

Monitoring was conducted periodically since the materials were deployed. The reef is currently stable and thriving, improving habitat and supporting larvae and many juvenile recreational fishing species.