185,000 oysters with the help of DONATED waders
/Billion Oyster Project’s last oyster installation of the 2021 field season took place off Pier 4 Beach in Brooklyn Bridge Park in early September. NBC’s Harry Smith and his crew from the TODAY Show joined us as 185,000 oysters found a new home in the shallow, murky waters of this picturesque park.
With more than 15 reef sites scattered across the five boroughs of New York City, our operational expenses are more akin to a commercial shipyard than the average New York resident. We need boats to monitor reefs in deep sites, life jackets, calipers and bubblers, seining nets, fish tanks, drills, metal rods and rebar, an endless stream of teal rope and hog rings, and protective outdoor gear to weather it all.
Harry Smith and NBC’s TODAY show team wade into the East River with Billion Oyster Project and volunteers to place file cabinets of oysters in Brooklyn Bridge Park’s community reef. Photo credited to Steven Dewitt.
Of all the materials we use on a daily basis, waders might be the most important. Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have spent time on the Harbor, but only a handful have been in it. Yes, waders are necessary for us to get the job done, but all that work would be futile if we couldn’t have others do it with us. Nothing compares to the sight of passionate teachers, students, community scientists, elected officials, and even news anchors, gearing up for an oyster installation in a body of water written off by many of the people who live near its edges.
Sitka Gear shares our passion for urban nature and adventure. This Summer, the outdoor apparel brand generously donated five camo waders to our community engagement and restoration teams, which we immediately put to use in the East River. On September 8th alone, we initiated a couple dozen people to a wilder way of life.
BOP Team Members Tanasia Swift, Ben LoGuidice, Tatiana Castro and Council Member - Lincoln Restler prepping for the Brooklyn Bridge Park installation.
On our journey to restoring one billion oysters by 2035, we aim to engage one million people. “Engagement” might be a buzzword, but we take this goal seriously. To date, we’ve engaged 20,000 people. With in-kind support from brands that believe in our community's ability to heal our natural environment, we are just skimming the surface of what’s possible.
The BOP team is proud to wear brands like Allbirds, Costa, and Sitka. These companies value healthy ecosystems, hands-on learning, and increased access to nature. After seven years of education through restoration, we know that equal access to New York Harbor is key to motivating one million New Yorkers to connect with their Harbor.
Interested in making an in-kind donation to Billion Oyster Project? Email info@nyharbor.org to get in touch with our team!