Vertical Oyster Gardens

With the increase in coastal development, we are seeing declines in native oyster populations. Oysters are powerful nature-based solutions that provide ecosystem services to coastal communities.

• Building habitats for marine life - Oysters build reef structures that become home to a variety of marine organisms. Smaller animals like crabs and juvenile fishes live between the shells of our VOGs and eventually larger fish like to hide between the VOG structures.

• Water filtration - It is estimated that a healthy adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Oysters are filter feeders and can filter excess nutrients and sediment out of the water. 

• Shoreline Erosion Protection - Oysters can slow down water movement due to their reef structures. When oysters work together with other living shoreline components, like mangroves and marsh grasses, the shoreline can absorb the wave energy, reducing the risk of erosion.

Our VOGs provide safe settlement areas for juvenile oysters and promote the restoration of oyster populations. While our VOGs are intended for oysters, they attract other organisms such as barnacles, mussels, worms, crabs, and a variety of juvenile fish species. Oysters are the base of this habitat, and the other species bring diversity and vibrant life to the structures.