POPULAR COMMUNITY
OYSTER GARDENING
PROGRAM EXPANDING
TO BRIGHTWATERS
AND OAKDALE
South Shore Long Island, NY — Save
The Great South Bay’s Great South Bay
Oyster Project is growing — both in
impact and geography. This summer, in
addition to community oyster gardens at
local docks in Bay Shore, Babylon, and
Amityville, new sites are being launched
in Brightwaters and Oakdale, giving
more South Shore residents the opportunity
to help restore the bay, one oyster
at a time.
Volunteer at a Local Garden (or Two!)
The initiative invites volunteers of all ages — including students
and families — to participate in hands-on, bi-weekly maintenance
of oyster gardens under the guidance of trained team leaders
Ron Marino, Neal Axelrad, Richard Regula, and Bill Higgins,
Janet Soley & Michael Chionchio. Volunteers will help pull oyster
crates from the water, rinse and scrub them, and take samples
to monitor oyster growth and survivorship. These tiny creatures,
known as spat (Crassostrea virginica), are the foundation of a
healthier bay.
•Sign up to volunteer at: www.savethegreatsouthbay.org/volunteer.
Community service is available.
A Small Time Commitment, A Big Impact
The time commitment is just one to two hours every week from
the end of June through early September. At the end of the season,
the oysters — now grown — will be transplanted into Save The
Great South Bay oyster sanctuary sites within the bay, where they
can mature, spawn, and support wild oyster settlement.
Oysters: Nature’s Water Filters
Oysters are environmental powerhouses. A single mature oyster
can fi lter up to 50 gallons of water per day, improving water quality
and helping to rebuild a balanced bay ecosystem.
A Collaborative Effort
The program is run by West Islip resident and Save The Great
South Bay Board Member Andy Mirchel, in collaboration with
Demetrios Caroussos of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk
County’s SPAT program.
About Save The Great South Bay
Save The Great South Bay is a
501(c)(3) environmental non-profi t
whose mission is to restore and protect
water quality in the Great South
Bay. We achieve this through four
primary programs: the Great South
Bay Oyster Project, the Creek Defender
Program, Bay Friendly Yards/
Habitat Restoration, education and
advocacy. Learn more at www.savethegreatsouthbay.
org.
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