Abstract
This case study investigates three oyster reef restoration projects: Withers Estuary in Myrtle Beach, SC; Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY; and several sites in New York and New Jersey’s waterways. Over- shing, ocean dredging, and pollution from human sewage, storm water and industrial manufacturing have dramati- cally reduced both the oyster population and human enjoyment of many east coast estuaries. Over the past 15 years, there has been an increased interest from municipalities, activists, architects and scientists in using natural methods to cleanse and restore these areas. Oysters, along with other mollusks, have tremendous ltering capacity and a single adult oyster is capable of cleansing bacteria, viruses and certain pollutants from between 20 and 50 gallons of water per day. Rebuilding and repopulating mollusk reefs adds a sig- ni cant, natural cleansing mechanism to waterways. The three restoration projects presented in this case study approached reef development with signi cantly different methods in regards to materials used, participants engaged and scale of project. Success- ful projects capitalized on the support, or indifference of government of cials and contributed to the greater landscape literacy of the estuary. Concerns arise, however, about mollusks’ inability to lter out certain toxins such as lead, mercury and BPAs. These pollutants may lodge themselves in in the tissue and shells of the mollusks and it is not yet know what impact this may have on other organisms.