Stratford Point Living Shoreline Public Meeting, May 5th!

New York has established the Billion Oyster Project! What can Connecticut do?

Billion Oyster Project IS AN ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND EDUCATION PROJECT aimed at restoring one billion live oysters to New York Harbor and engaging hundreds of thousands of school children through restoration based STEM education programs.

Connecticut can establish, “The Living Sound Project” Restoration, Education and Citizen Science

“Why oyster reefs?

Oysters were the keystone species, ecosystem engineers and source of energy for the Long Island Sound estuary. Today, oysters are functionally extinct in the Sound as a result of overharvesting, dredging and pollution. The absence of oysters has impaired our estuary’s ability to clean the water and absorb excess nitrogen; the loss of reefs has reduced protective habitat, destabilized the sea floor and left our shoreline vulnerable to destructive wave action. Restoring oysters and reefs will, over time, restore the local marine ecosystem’s natural mechanisms for maintaining itself, resulting in cleaner water and greater biodiversity. Moreover, engaging students and the general public in this work will build a culture of stewardship and a more robust understanding and appreciation of the Sound for future generations.”

(Adapted from http://www.billionoysterproject.org/about/. Stratford Point, CT September 15, 2015)

Dr. Jennifer Mattei, Sacred Heart University, matteij@sacredheart.edu

Researchers from Sacred Heart University have partnered with DuPont, Audubon Connecticut and AECOM, to establish a living shoreline in Stratford Connecticut to restore coastal habitats including both the salt marsh and upland areas. Since its installation in 2014, the artificial reef has successfully prevented sediment erosion, and allowed for the growth of shoreline and critical marsh habitat.

If you would like to see and learn more about this project, and plans for its expansion, please join Dr. Jennifer Mattei of Sacred Heart University for an “Open House” public meeting & shoreline tour:

May 5th 2016 at Stratford Point, 1207 Prospect Drive

Agenda:

5:30 PM: Shoreline tours

6:15 PM: Short presentation on the future plans for the site including the reef and salt marsh expansion

6:30 PM: Question and Answer period

7:00 PM: Continued review of future plans, and tours (if light permits)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL, CALL OR CLICK HERE: Matteij@sacredheart.edu, 203-365-7577, www.sacredheart.edu/livingshorelines