Concrete to Help Gulf Oysters | National Geographic

as scientists businesses and residents

as scientists businesses and residents seek to remedy the negative

seek to remedy the negative

seek to remedy the negative environmental impacts of the huge oil

environmental impacts of the huge oil

environmental impacts of the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico it is clear

spill in the Gulf of Mexico it is clear

spill in the Gulf of Mexico it is clear they must also address some of the

they must also address some of the

they must also address some of the golf’s long-standing problems even

golf’s long-standing problems even

golf’s long-standing problems even before the BPL started spewing oil the

before the BPL started spewing oil the

before the BPL started spewing oil the Gulf region struggled with poor water

Gulf region struggled with poor water

Gulf region struggled with poor water quality loss of wetlands and plummeting

quality loss of wetlands and plummeting

quality loss of wetlands and plummeting populations of a variety of animal

populations of a variety of animal

populations of a variety of animal species it turns out one possible key to

species it turns out one possible key to

species it turns out one possible key to solving some of these issues is an

solving some of these issues is an

solving some of these issues is an unlikely living creature the oyster

unlikely living creature the oyster

unlikely living creature the oyster hundreds of years ago Reeves created by

hundreds of years ago Reeves created by

hundreds of years ago Reeves created by the shellfish were located throughout

the shellfish were located throughout

the shellfish were located throughout the Gulf Coast and there are old records

the Gulf Coast and there are old records

the Gulf Coast and there are old records that talk about these reefs being so

that talk about these reefs being so

that talk about these reefs being so expansive as to block shipping traffic

expansive as to block shipping traffic

expansive as to block shipping traffic due to changes in water quality due to

due to changes in water quality due to

due to changes in water quality due to over harvesting we’ve lost about

over harvesting we’ve lost about

over harvesting we’ve lost about eighty-five percent of the oysters

eighty-five percent of the oysters

eighty-five percent of the oysters throughout the United States about fifty

throughout the United States about fifty

throughout the United States about fifty percent of the oyster reefs are gone in

percent of the oyster reefs are gone in

percent of the oyster reefs are gone in the Gulf of Mexico large oyster reefs

the Gulf of Mexico large oyster reefs

the Gulf of Mexico large oyster reefs breakup waves and slow storm surge that

breakup waves and slow storm surge that

breakup waves and slow storm surge that can wash away marsh Beach and even homes

can wash away marsh Beach and even homes

can wash away marsh Beach and even homes the oysters also filter organic

the oysters also filter organic

the oysters also filter organic materials such as algae from the water

materials such as algae from the water

materials such as algae from the water which helps seagrass beds they also

which helps seagrass beds they also

which helps seagrass beds they also provide habitat for small fish and other

provide habitat for small fish and other

provide habitat for small fish and other creatures

the Nature Conservancy is working with

the Nature Conservancy is working with the National Fish and Wildlife

the National Fish and Wildlife

the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Louisiana State University

Foundation Louisiana State University

Foundation Louisiana State University and other partners to learn how best to

and other partners to learn how best to

and other partners to learn how best to restore oyster beds in this project in

restore oyster beds in this project in

restore oyster beds in this project in Louisiana’s vermilion bay workers are

Louisiana’s vermilion bay workers are

Louisiana’s vermilion bay workers are building 700 feet of artificial reef

building 700 feet of artificial reef

building 700 feet of artificial reef using oyster break rings which are made

using oyster break rings which are made

using oyster break rings which are made of a material called oyster creek the

of a material called oyster creek the

of a material called oyster creek the structure is being designed with the

structure is being designed with the

structure is being designed with the type of concrete and the ingredient in

type of concrete and the ingredient in

type of concrete and the ingredient in the concrete which attracts oysters to

the concrete which attracts oysters to

the concrete which attracts oysters to them they have a lot of cavities and

them they have a lot of cavities and

them they have a lot of cavities and holes and pervious areas that they can

holes and pervious areas that they can

holes and pervious areas that they can hide in to be able to mature this is an

hide in to be able to mature this is an

hide in to be able to mature this is an oyster right here is growing inside one

oyster right here is growing inside one

oyster right here is growing inside one of the crevices the after just a few

of the crevices the after just a few

of the crevices the after just a few months this section already has growth

months this section already has growth

months this section already has growth toenail is sticking out and he’ll be

toenail is sticking out and he’ll be

toenail is sticking out and he’ll be growing curbing out this way the Nature

growing curbing out this way the Nature

growing curbing out this way the Nature Conservancy has to Louisiana oyster

Conservancy has to Louisiana oyster

Conservancy has to Louisiana oyster projects that are comparing the Rings

projects that are comparing the Rings

projects that are comparing the Rings against another reef building structure

against another reef building structure

against another reef building structure that uses steel and this is just a

that uses steel and this is just a

that uses steel and this is just a demonstration project we’re really

demonstration project we’re really

demonstration project we’re really trying to look at across Louisiana

trying to look at across Louisiana

trying to look at across Louisiana across the Gulf how different artificial

across the Gulf how different artificial

across the Gulf how different artificial oyster reefs how effective they are in

oyster reefs how effective they are in

oyster reefs how effective they are in different habitats it isn’t clear yet

different habitats it isn’t clear yet

different habitats it isn’t clear yet how the oil spill has and will continue

how the oil spill has and will continue

how the oil spill has and will continue to affect the already vulnerable

to affect the already vulnerable

to affect the already vulnerable Easter’s but efforts to keep the oil

Easter’s but efforts to keep the oil

Easter’s but efforts to keep the oil away from the wetlands may have actually

away from the wetlands may have actually

away from the wetlands may have actually had a negative impact but a lot of

had a negative impact but a lot of

had a negative impact but a lot of oysters were killed because of the large

oysters were killed because of the large

oysters were killed because of the large amount of freshwater that was put into

amount of freshwater that was put into

amount of freshwater that was put into the system by opening up our diversions

the system by opening up our diversions

the system by opening up our diversions along the Mississippi River in an

along the Mississippi River in an

along the Mississippi River in an attempt to try to flush oil from the

attempt to try to flush oil from the

attempt to try to flush oil from the marsh and to keep any additional oil

marsh and to keep any additional oil

marsh and to keep any additional oil from entering the marsh so as government

from entering the marsh so as government

from entering the marsh so as government and non-governmental groups seek ways to

and non-governmental groups seek ways to

and non-governmental groups seek ways to address the negative impacts from the

address the negative impacts from the

address the negative impacts from the oil they may also learn more about how

oil they may also learn more about how

oil they may also learn more about how to address some long-standing problems

to address some long-standing problems

to address some long-standing problems but coastal restoration is not going to

but coastal restoration is not going to

but coastal restoration is not going to be solved with any one silver bullet

be solved with any one silver bullet

be solved with any one silver bullet there’s going to be some large-scale

there’s going to be some large-scale

there’s going to be some large-scale strategies fresh water diversion that

strategies fresh water diversion that

strategies fresh water diversion that puts fresh water and sediments back into

puts fresh water and sediments back into

puts fresh water and sediments back into the marsh system but there are going to

the marsh system but there are going to

the marsh system but there are going to be some conservation targets if the

be some conservation targets if the

be some conservation targets if the oysters are able to latch onto suitable

oysters are able to latch onto suitable

oysters are able to latch onto suitable structures artificial or otherwise both

structures artificial or otherwise both

structures artificial or otherwise both scientists and oyster harvesters hope

scientists and oyster harvesters hope

scientists and oyster harvesters hope they can make a come back and help

they can make a come back and help

they can make a come back and help improve the health of the Gulf

improve the health of the Gulf

improve the health of the Gulf post