Oyster Reef Project - Friends of Hunting Island

FOHI VOLUNTEERS HELP CREATE OYSTER REEFS

On July 17, 2008, twelve FOHI volunteers, thirty other volunteers and twelve young men from the Beaufort Marine Institute joined DNR SCORE (South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement) Division Director Nancy Hadley and staff members Michael Hodges and Holly Nettles for the third annual oyster reef restoration along the southeastern shore of Hunting Island. Two new reefs were constructed adjacent to those created last year and last year’s reefs were adjusted slightly to the east. The reefs are just south of the Nature Center and north of the Fripp Island Bridge and other than at high tide are easily visible from the fishing pier.

2008 laying out oyster reef Each new reef consists of 150 thirty pound bags of recycled oyster and clam shells, thirty eight rows long and four rows deep. Bags were stockpiled at the recycle drop off station at Russ Point Landing. Half the shell had been bagged by Ashville Scout Troop 53 while on a primitive camping expedition to the park in January and half by the Bluffton Environmental Action Volunteers. On the morning of July 17, 2008 the volunteers gathered at Russ Point Landing. The bags were transported by trailer from the recycle bin to the landing where volunteers formed a "fire bucket" brigade and passed the bags to the floating dock and onto DNR boats. The bags were then ferried from the landing to the reef site where they were dropped overboard at the location for construction of the new reefs.

After a lunch and watermelon break and enough time for the tide to recede and expose the bags, volunteers divided into two groups and followed Michael and Holly into the sand, mud and water and again formed lines to pass and arrange the bags to create the two new rectangular reefs. A Southern Living Magazine reporter and photographer covered the event and the story should be in the upcoming issue. DNR expects that reef construction at Hunting Island will continue as an annual project so make sure and recycle your shells at the drop off bins at Russ Point Landing or at the Sands Beach Landing in Port Royal. For more information on the SCORE Program go to http://score.dnr.sc.gov/.

Terry Stone

2007 team building oyster reef Building an Oyster Reef 2007

"The South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement program (SCORE) has had great success in their restoration efforts. In six years volunteers have placed 280 tons of oyster shell at 30 sites along the South Carolina coast. The resulting reefs are estimated to be home to as many as eight million oysters which may filter 50-100 million gallons of water a day! In spite of these efforts, the oyster populations in Beaufort County are still declining. This decline is due to oyster harvesting, failure to recycle oyster shell, increased boat wakes and silt from land development.

"Many thanks to all of you who helped out June 14, 2007 on the building of another new oyster reef at Hunting Island State Park. This worthwhile effort would not be possible without your volunteer assistance."

Cordially,
Eric Brown & Bonnie Wright

Oyster Reef Construction '06

On July 11th, 2006 over 40 volunteers from Friends of Hunting Island, park staff, the Beaufort Marine Institute and Beaufort Teen Center participated in oyster reef building effort at Hunting Island State Park Nature Center fishing pier. Under the direction of the competent staff from the SCORE program of the SC Department of Natural Resources, these volunteers waded in the mud under a 95-plus-degree mid-day sun to move 300 bags—4.5 tons of recycled oyster shells to create three new oyster reefs.

2006 oyster reef team Not only do we want the oyster reef preserved but, far more importantly, the filter feeding of the oyster improves water quality, the reefs provide habitat for various fish species, and oysters serve as natural barriers to prevent marsh erosion. Thanks to all the friends of Hunting Island who participated in this very worthwhile project.