Oysters play a valuable role in the coastal ecosystem. They provide valuable habitat to over 300 species, help to filter the water resulting in cleaner and clearer water, and help to prevent coastal erosion.
Since 2016, The Mississippi Oyster Gardening Program has provided volunteers, called oyster gardeners, the opportunity to participate in a hands-on learning experience. Oyster gardeners keep oysters, reared in a local oyster hatchery, off their pier throughout the season (typically May/June through December) where they help to facilitate their growth by cleaning off fouling, such as mud and algae.
Additionally, gardeners remove predators like crabs and oyster drills. At the end of the season, the oysters are collected and planted on restoration reefs in the Mississippi Sound by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
As we enter our fifth year, the program is working to reach those who aren’t directly on the water with two new projects.
The first will allow for oyster education to enter the classroom. Currently, there are two schools working with the program as gardening sites. However, not all schools are positioned directly on the water and able to participate in that capacity. This part of the expansion will initially provide two lessons: oyster anatomy and oyster ecology.
These lessons will expose the students to an oyster’s role in the ecosystem and how important that role is. With COVID-19 in mind, these lessons will be offered as pre-recorded videos and/or livestreams via Zoom. Eventually, we plan to add in-person options while continuing to offer it online to schools farther away.
The second project will create kiosk style displays placed in high-traffic areas to increase the exposure of the program. These displays will provide oyster education to the general public and include information on how to get involved in the program.
If you are interested in learning more about the program or getting involved, please join us at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, via Zoom.
Register for this event here: https://auburn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ldumhpzktH9yclthcOtrjsA6Q2QjT3dsd
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