What gives you hope for New York Harbor and our youth?

There’s a lot of bad news out there about the future state of this planet we’re living on: warming oceans, wildfires, polar bears running out of ice, superstorms, mudslides, garbage patches in the middle of the ocean, and the loss of species at a devastating rate. 

In the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, it’s easy to become discouraged. At Billion Oyster Project, we are working to restore ecosystems, build connections with the natural world, and prove that change is possible with your help and your hope.   

I’ll never forget diving to survey the site of our first oyster reef, just south of Governors Island, the Harbor bottom was flat and featureless. There was nowhere for marine life to hide and nothing to eat. Less than a month later, we dove again. The tiny reef emerged, swarming with thousands of mudsnails, hermit crabs, larger moon snails, blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, blackfish, black sea bass — even striped bass! One small, positive intervention created a thriving ecosystem.

Since then, we’ve introduced 100 million oysters to New York Harbor. And we now have the tools and know-how to restore 100 million oysters every year by 2024!

What if instead of doom and gloom, our local headlines were dominated by authentic connections between young people and the dolphins and whales, fish and birds, even seahorses that we can now see in our Harbor?

Billion Oyster Project grew out of the New York Harbor School — our flagship school partner, in 2014. This public high school gave life to an unprecedented initiative to restore our Harbor. Billion Oyster Project exists not only to benefit the environment, but also to teach our children – especially those who have traditionally lacked waterfront access — why we trust them to restore and protect that natural environment.

Our staff work in dozens of public schools across the five boroughs. Rather than saying “sit down and be quiet”, we ask “can you help?” Over 2,700 students have answered our call this school year alone.

As 2022 comes to a close, you’ll be asked to support many meaningful causes. We’re hoping you can do something for two important ones: the only planet we have, and the young people destined to inherit it from us.

Your financial contribution to Billion Oyster Project is incredibly important. But I’m also curious… what gives you hope for our Harbor and our youth? For the rest of the year, your messages will be proudly displayed on our website and social media. 

Thank you for your optimism in the face of numerous obstacles, and thank you for supporting the work of Billion Oyster Project.

Pete Malinowski
Executive Director

P.S. Check out this new video about Billion Oyster Project!