PRESS RELEASE: April 29, 2015
GTM RESEARCH RESERVE
RECEIVES 12,000 POUND OYSTER SHELL DONATION FROM OYSTER JAM
~Recycling oyster shells provides a sustainable
source for restoring oyster reefs~
 Volunteer Remo Mondazzi
looks on as oyster shells are delivered to the GTM Research Reserve.
PONTE VEDRA
BEACH - Northeast Florida Aquatic Preserves and Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve participated in the 2015 Oyster
Jam Music Festival in Jacksonville, bringing back more than 12,000 pounds of
oyster shells for its recycling program.
"For the past three years, GTM Research Reserve has been picking up the
discarded shells for reef building," said Andrea Small, Northeast Florida
Aquatic Preserves manager. "Thanks to the growing popularity of the festival, the volume of oyster shells donated has increased so much we needed a container truck to help transport."
In continued support of the recycling program, Oyster Jam event producers
rented a 10-yard recycling container and delivered the shells to the reserve -- a donation in excess of 12,000 pounds. This is
more than four times last year's contribution. Oyster Jam staff, along with staff and volunteers from Northeast Florida
Aquatic Preserves and GTM Research Reserve, were on
hand at the event for the entire weekend to ensure litter-free
shells went into the transport container.
"Recycling oyster shells from restaurants and special events has provided
a sustainable source for restoring the much-needed oyster reefs," said
Michael Shirley, director of the GTM Research Reserve.
The shells will rest for six months to
a year before staff and volunteers will bag and deploy them for use in oyster reef
restoration projects, such as oyster reef habitat building and living shoreline
projects.
Eastern oysters are a keystone species in local estuaries, providing a variety
of important ecosystem services that include habitat for marine organisms, shoreline
erosion protection and improved water quality through filtering many gallons of
water a day.
For more information about the oyster recycling program or restoration projects, please contact
Andrea Small at 904-823-4500.
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