VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Efforts to keep our water clean are underway, and you can contribute to the cause. You just have to become an oyster gardener!
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation says they need gardeners so oysters can continue to play a big role in the Bay: filtering water. In fact, adult oysters can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, the foundation says.
The foundation hopes encouraging people to become "oyster foster parents" will help the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance reach its goal of adding 10 billion new oysters to the Bay by 2025.
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The role of an oyster gardener isn't hard, the foundation says. Here are the basics:
- You'll get two cages, a line and a reusable zip tie. You'll also get cleaning supplies for the crate. And of course, you'll get live oysters to take home.
- You can raise them from a dock or a public growing space, like marinas or parks the foundation partners with.
The kit costs $35.
The foundation is hosting workshops throughout the summer to teach people everything they need to know about oyster gardening, from how to get started to maintenance and future planting.
"When we give our new gardeners their presentation to kind of tell them how to take care of these live animals for a year, we like to joke and say oysters are one of the easiest pets you can own. They have everything they need in the water," said Jessica Lutzow, an oyster restoration specialist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Once the oysters are in the water, they become living water treatment plants in the Bay.
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The foundation will be hosting its oyster gardening seminars over the next couple of months, including in Hampton, Newport News, Gloucester County, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.
Registration closes two days before each seminar.
To sign up for a seminar, click here.
