Restoring New York Harbor

1 billion oysters by 2030

We design, permit, build, and monitor oyster reefs across the harbor using science to move from proof of concept to resilient systems.

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Educating the Next Generation

1 million students by 2030

Thousands of NYC students doing real science in their own harbor — becoming the next generation of environmental stewards.

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we're restoring new york harbor & educating the next generation

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NOW HIRING

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restoring and educating SINCE 2014

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Billion Oyster Project is a nonprofit restoring oyster reefs across New York Harbor and equipping the next generation with the knowledge and agency to sustain them.

Smiling crew member in an orange work jacket at the helm of a harbor boat

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An educator shows visitors a mesh bag of oyster shells at a marine lab tank

Two crew members in life vests aboard a Billion Oyster Project boat with the Manhattan skyline behind

Volunteers stacking crates of recycled oyster shells beside a towering shell pile

Gloved volunteers inspecting an oyster shell over a crate at a shell sorting event

With your help, since 2014 we've made significant progress toward our mission.

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154,404

total people engaged

Students, volunteers, and community members have joined the work across all our programs since 2014.

Crew member in a hard hat watching reef balls suspended on lines over the water

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1,288

unique teachers

Educators across New York City use our curriculum, resources, and training in their own classrooms.

40,594

students using curriculum

Young New Yorkers are learning science through Billion Oyster Project lessons and field experiences.

3.2M

lbs of shells collected

Restaurant shells that once went to landfill become the foundation of new oyster reefs.

Students in waders inspecting oyster cages in shallow water

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Billion Oyster Project banner: one billion oysters for a self-sustaining harbor, one million students to make sure it lasts

one billion

oysters

Why? One billion is the population-level goal that moves the Harbor toward lasting recovery.

Oysters are a foundational species in New York Harbor. Their reefs create habitat for marine life, strengthen shorelines, and rebuild the ecological systems that once made this one of the most productive estuaries on Earth.

But small reefs aren't enough — to survive, oyster populations have to function as connected systems that reproduce and sustain themselves.

one million

students

Why? One million students builds a generation of New Yorkers ready to carry the work forward.

The future of New York Harbor depends on whether the next generation feels connected enough to protect it. When students learn straight from the Harbor — testing water, raising oysters, getting their hands dirty — they come to see that nature is part of New York, right in their backyard.

But restoring a harbor this size takes cultural change at the scale of the city around it.

200000000

Reef monitoring datasheet on a clipboard beside a knotted rope at a harbor worksite

Crane lowering a concrete reef ball onto a barge staged with dozens more

Worker in a hard hat rigging a concrete reef ball with straps for installation

Worker in a hard hat standing atop a vast mound of recycled oyster shells

Divers examining a mesh cage packed with live oysters beneath the surface

The story of oysters in New York is still being written.

Restoring the Harbor takes reefs, research, and people who are willing to show up for the water around them.

Want to get involved?

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01

Volunteer

Reefs · Shorelines

Help build reefs, monitor oysters, clean shorelines, and restore habitat across NYC.

See volunteer days →

02

Become a Member

Vouchers · Perks

Support harbor restoration and get member perks, including oyster vouchers at partner restaurants.

Explore membership →

03

Attend an Event

volunteering · Socials · Trainings

Oyster socials, teacher workshops and training, and waterfront volunteer days — most are free, all of them get you closer to the New York Harbor.

Browse the calendar →

04

Explore the Research

Reef Data · Survival

See the data behind our reefs, monitoring sites, oyster survival, and harbor restoration work.

Open the data →

05

Learn About Restoration

Shell → Reef

Follow a shell from a restaurant table through curing, setting, and out to a living reef. It's the whole journey that turns dinner into habitat.

How restoration works →

06

Learn About Education

Classrooms · Field Stations

Curricula, field stations, and student research that bring real harbor science into NYC classrooms, accessible for every teacher in the city.

Visit education →

07

Donate

One-time · Monthly

Every dollar puts oysters in the water — fund reef builds, monitoring gear, and free harbor programs for NYC students.

Donate now →

innovation

Creating a connected network of oyster reefs

We're conducting a comprehensive study to map the Harbor's potential for large-scale restoration. Across the New York Harbor, we're identifying optimal sites to create self-sustaining reefs, measure ecological impact, and building the blueprint for our next decade of work.