Outdoors column: Oyster reef building events on tap
Get ready to get down and dirty in the pluff mud in Murrells Inlet and Winyah Bay.
Coastal Conservation Association South Carolina (CCA SC) and the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE) program have four oyster reef habitat building events scheduled along the Palmetto State coast in July.
The Murrells Inlet event is set for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. departing from the Murrells Inlet Public Boat Landing with the Georgetown event set for July 29 at 9 a.m. departing from Belle Isle Marina. The other two events are in Charleston on Monday and Beaufort on Wednesday.
The SCORE program is designed to restore and enhance oyster habitat by planting recycled oyster shell at strategic locations in estuaries. The recycled shell replenishes oyster reefs from which local oysters are harvested and helps form new, self-sustaining oyster reefs.
Oyster reefs are the base of South Carolina's marine ecosystem and improve water quality, control erosion and provide habitat for numerous species of fish and shellfish. Ben Dyar, Shell Recycling Program Coordinator for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, notes that oyster shell reefs provide habitat for over 120 species.
CCA SC is heavily involved in the oyster reef establishment through its Topwater Action Campaign. In the last five years, CCA SC has played a big role in over 60 oyster reef building and rebuilding projects.
“The continued expansion of the habitat work associated with the Topwater Action Campaign is paying big dividends for both our marine resources and for Palmetto State anglers,” said Scott Whitaker, Executive Director of CCA SC. “The Topwater Action Campaign is having a significant impact on recreational angling and coastal habitat development across the entire coast.”
The oyster reef projects depend on volunteers to, literally, do the heavy lifting and volunteers are needed to help with the upcoming projects.
The recycled shell will be loaded on jon boats and placed at pre-determined locations in the estuaries.
Anyone wishing to volunteer should be ready to - actually embrace - getting dirty. Organizers emphasize wearing closed-toe shoes and bringing sunscreen and bug spray.
For more information on the local events, call Chris Hawley at 843-455-0371 or e-mail chawley24@gmail.com. On the state level, call 803-865-4164 or e-mail hsmith@ccasouthcarolina.com.
Summer Turkey Survey
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources needs volunteers to assist in the agency's annual Summer Turkey Survey.
The survey, which originated in 1982 and is conducted each July and August, involves agency wildlife biologists, technicians and conservation officers, along with many volunteers from other natural resource agencies and the general public.
“The Summer Turkey Survey is designed to monitor annual nesting success of hens and survival of their young, which has the greatest influence on wild turkey population dynamics,” said Charles Ruth, DNR’s Deer and Wild Turkey Program coordinator.
For more information on the survey, call 803-734-8738 or e-mail ruthc@dnr.sc.gov.
This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Outdoors column: Oyster reef building events on tap."