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Oyster Summit seeks to build a better oyster reef
T TIDE
HE BUILDING CONSERVATION TRUST (BCT) is proud to announce that it will host its first Oyster Summit on April 27-28 in Balti -
more, Maryland. The Summit will convene lead- ing experts and stakeholders from across sectors and across the nation to compare notes and best prac- tices for oyster habitat restoration in an endeavor to improve conservation of this keystone ecosystem species.
“If you were going to build a productive estuary
from the ground up, you’d start with oysters,” said Kevin O’Donovan, BCT board member. “So as con- servationists, we have to find the most effective meth- ods for restoring them because so much depends on them. It may be that different techniques are more effective in different regions, so let’s pool resources and knowledge to build a restoration playbook that can benefit everyone’s efforts.” Oyster reefs were once a dominant feature along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, but over-harvesting and disease have reduced the reefs to little of their historic coverage. As filter feeders, oysters improve water quality and it has been estimated that oysters were once able to filter all the water in the Chesapeake Bay in about a week. It now takes the current oyster population about a year to filter the same amount of water. Additionally, oyster reefs are the foundation of healthy bays and estuaries, providing food and habi- tat for birds, fish and shellfish. The reefs also buffer coastlines from waves and support the growth of essential coastal vegetation like marshes and sea- grass beds. “There are hundreds of ways that people enjoy eating oysters and everyone has their favorite recipe,” said Sean Stone, Executive Director of BCT, the national habitat program of Coastal Conser - vation Association. “We are gathering the top experts in the business to compare recipes on the best way to build oyster reefs and restore them in their natural habitat so that we can continue to enjoy them and still have plenty to perform their critical role in the marine environment.”
The Summit will begin on the evening of
Wednesday, April 27 with a reception at the University of Mary land’s Institute of Marine and Environ mental Technology (IMET). The full day schedule on April 28 includes keynote speakers and panels on the science and logistics of restoration, state level involvement, and funding/development for restoration projects.
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