November 16, 2014 — The Oyster Conservationist program has been sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and University of New Hampshire for the past nine years as a way for local residents to help restore native oysters to the bay.
Community-based oyster restoration is thriving on Seacoast shores.
The Oyster Conservationist program has been sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and University of New Hampshire for the past nine years as a way for local residents to help restore native oysters to the bay.
Over those nine years, the OC program has helped reconstruct oyster populations in Great Bay and five estuarine rivers. Kara McKeton, restoration coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, said this year saw the program expand dramatically.
“This year’s program achieved new high points for the number of people involved at 121, the number of sites at 70, and our expansion into Maine,” McKeton said.
The program operated 70 volunteer sites in 14 different towns, including three new ones in Maine, monitored by 121 volunteers. The program grew from 48 sites last year, extending coverage as far as Appledore Island at the Isles of Shoals this year. The program includes sites in all seven of the major tributaries to the Great Bay estuary. All in all, 4.5 acres of oyster reef in western Great Bay in Greenland were restored.
Volunteers raise oysters on their private docks or moorings, making a 10-week commitment to nurture the oysters, maintain their cages weekly and collect data on oyster growth biweekly at their home or mooring. This is the first year volunteers could submit data through an online reporting system. They tallied 2,240 hours of labor.
“I love how everything is positive about the program, especially the community of people involved who are genuinely interested in lending helping hands to make a difference in the estuary right in their back yards,” McKeton said. “I think the overall program positiveness is reflected in this year’s 92 percent retention of participants from last year.”
Sally Ford of Durham volunteered for the first time this year with her husband, Dan.
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