We are working with UGA researchers (Nik Heynen, Matt Bilksie, Lizzie King, Amy Rosemond) along with non-profits, Save Our Legacy Ourself and Shell to Shore to restore oyster reefs along the Georgia coast, specifically on Sapelo Island and the Big Hole and Cabretta marshes. The goal of these projects is to restore oyster reefs, not just to improve the natural system, but also to reduce flooding, increase fishing opportunities, and provide water quality benefits.
Graduate student, Juedalo Oguntoyinbo, is developing a high-resolution hydrodynamic model of the region that will help us identify locations with the highest potential for oyster restoration success.
This work is funded by the NOAA Transformational Habitat Program and the NFWF Coastal Resilience Program.