SCORE by the numbers
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SCORE by the numbers 10 years of oyster restoration 37 different reef sites spanning 200 miles of coastl 10,842 volunteers contributed 30,288 hours 4338 m 2 = 46,695 ft 2 = 1.1 acres of restored reef 25,000 bushels of oyster shell used to create 33,336 she 1,000,080 pounds or 500 tons of shell deployed Over 100 community partners SCORE: 10 years of community based oyster restoration Allison Kreutzer 1 , Nancy Hadley 1 , Michael Hodges 1 , Holly Dyar 1 1 – South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC 29412 The SCORE Program The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources established the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement program (SCORE) ten years ago, in late 2000, with the goal of enlisting volunteers to recycle oyster shell and construct oyster reefs. By using volunteers to build the reefs, the SCORE program educates the public on the ecological benefits provided by oysters while also restoring valuable habitat. These volunteers, ranging in age from 8 to 80, have participated in shell recycling, shell bagging, reef building, reef assessments, and water quality monitoring. Due in part to the stability afforded by the mesh bag and in part to careful site selection, SCORE reefs have a remarkable success rate, with at least 80% of SCORE reefs comparing favorably to natural oyster reefs after only 2-4 years. SCORE reefs have also been demonstrated to stabilize shorelines and foster marsh grass expansion. Bagging Monitoring Building K ent F orrest Map of all current SCORE sites Edisto Island: Built 2003 and expanded in 2006 to include palate reefs, a new technique Previously built Outline color on dot corresponds to a picture Hunting Island: 2009 and 2010 A local group independently recycles and bags all the shell for this reef to be expanded each year! 0 Palmetto Islands County Park: Constructed in 2003 with Americorps. 2250 bushels of shell bagged into 3000 bags and deployed in one week! 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 9 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Builds Bagging Volunteer hours 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 9 0 2000 4000 6000 Bags depl... Total number of bags From the beginning engaging and educating volunteers has been the most important goal of SCORE. Though it is exciting that our continual success has allowed us to expand our restoration footprint, the real benefit of our growth as a program is the increasing number of people who are more aware of the benefits provided by oysters and, therefore, are more likely to take action to protect this natural resource and their coastal environment. Camp Ho Non Wah: 2004 and 2009 Note the substantial marsh re- growth!! Trask landing Bluffton - 2002 Each reef we have built over the past decade has provided its own set of challenges, lessons, and rewards. Daniel Island Because of the continued support of volunteers and overall success of the program, in 2010, SCORE was able to celebrate its 10 th anniversary by undertaking its largest project to date. 174 volunteers contributed 520 hours 6200 ft 2 or 0.15 acres 4310 bags deployed 1 reef Lessons learned The public is eager to help – they just need to be enabled. The public will work hard and get filthy for a worthy cause. Oysters in South Carolina are substrate limited. If you put out shell, the oysters will come. No reef has failed for lack of spatfall. Sedimentation is the biggest obstacle to successful reef development. Marsh grass will grow back behind oyster reefs – it takes 2-3 years for the process to begin but then it proceeds more rapidly. SCORE reefs support vibrant communities of diverse fauna, even after only one year. Memorial Waterfront Park – 2008 One of our best volunteer turnouts ever! Coosaw Cut: Built 2007 and sampled in 2008 Note the considerable growth of the oysters in just one year! 2010 - 3D growth is ideal for habitat formation! South Carolina Aquarium – 2001 our most publicly visible site Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge – 2002 Americorps volunteers
description
SCORE : 10 years of community based oyster restoration Allison Kreutzer 1 , Nancy Hadley 1 , Michael Hodges 1 , Holly Dyar 1 1 – South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC 29412. Trask landing Bluffton - 2002. Daniel Island - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of SCORE by the numbers
SCORE by the numbers10 years of oyster restoration
37 different reef sites spanning 200 miles of coastline
10,842 volunteers contributed 30,288 hours
4338 m2 = 46,695 ft2 = 1.1 acres of restored reef
25,000 bushels of oyster shell used to create 33,336 shell bags
1,000,080 pounds or 500 tons of shell deployed
Over 100 community partners
SCORE: 10 years of community based oyster restorationAllison Kreutzer1, Nancy Hadley1, Michael Hodges1, Holly Dyar1
1 – South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC 29412
The SCORE ProgramThe South Carolina Department of Natural Resources established the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement program (SCORE) ten years ago, in late 2000, with the goal of enlisting volunteers to recycle oyster shell and construct oyster reefs. By using volunteers to build the reefs, the SCORE program educates the public on the ecological benefits provided by oysters while also restoring valuable habitat. These volunteers, ranging in age from 8 to 80, have participated in shell recycling, shell bagging, reef building, reef assessments, and water quality monitoring. Due in part to the stability afforded by the mesh bag and in part to careful site selection, SCORE reefs have a remarkable success rate, with at least 80% of SCORE reefs comparing favorably to natural oyster reefs after only 2-4 years. SCORE reefs have also been demonstrated to stabilize shorelines and foster marsh grass expansion.
Bagging MonitoringBuildingKen
t For
rest
Map of all current SCORE sites
Edisto Island:Built 2003 and
expanded in 2006to include palate reefs,
a new technique
Previously builtOutline color on dot corresponds to a picture
Hunting Island:2009 and 2010
A local group independently recycles and bags all the shell for this reef to be expanded each year! 0
Palmetto Islands County Park:
Constructed in 2003 with Americorps.
2250 bushels of shell bagged into 3000 bags and deployed in one
week!
2001200220032004200520062007200820092010
0500
10001500200025003000 Builds
Bagging
Vol
unte
er h
ours
2001200220032004200520062007200820092010
01000200030004000500060007000
Bags deployed
Tot
al n
umbe
r of
bag
s
From the beginning engaging and educating volunteers has been the most important goal of SCORE. Though it is exciting that our continual success has allowed us to expand our restoration footprint, the real benefit of our
growth as a program is the increasing number of people who are more aware of the benefits provided by oysters and, therefore, are more likely to take action to protect this natural resource and their coastal environment.
Camp Ho Non Wah: 2004 and 2009
Note the substantial marsh re-growth!!
Trask landing Bluffton - 2002
Each reef we have built over the past decade has provided
its own set of challenges, lessons, and rewards.
Daniel IslandBecause of the continued support of volunteers and overall success of the
program, in 2010, SCORE was able to celebrate its 10th anniversary by undertaking its largest project to date.
174 volunteers contributed 520 hours
6200 ft2 or 0.15 acres
4310 bags deployed
1 reef
Lessons learnedThe public is eager to help – they just need to be enabled.The public will work hard and get filthy for a worthy cause.Oysters in South Carolina are substrate limited. If you put out shell, the oysters will come. No reef has failed for lack of spatfall. Sedimentation is the biggest obstacle to successful reef development.Marsh grass will grow back behind oyster reefs – it takes 2-3 years for the process to begin but then it proceeds more rapidly.SCORE reefs support vibrant communities of diverse fauna, even after only one year. Volunteers can successfully sample reefs to evaluate finfish utilization. Reefs which look poor at 2-3 years may look OK by 5 years. This seems to be particularly true at muddy sites.
Memorial Waterfront Park – 2008
One of our best volunteer turnouts
ever!
Coosaw Cut: Built 2007 and sampled in 2008Note the considerable
growth of the oysters in just one year!
2010 - 3D growth is ideal for habitat
formation!
South Carolina Aquarium – 2001our most publicly visible site
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge – 2002
Americorps volunteers
