- Valdosta State University is working to help restore oyster populations along our coast.
- They're partnering with Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea.
- Watch the video to see why the they're doing could keep our coastal communities safe.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
If you think ocean conservation doesn’t have an impact in our daily lives, think again.
I’m Malia Thomas, in Valdosta. I’m speaking with some of our Valdosta State professors and students about how an oyster restoration project is helping our waterways.
Oysters play a major role in protecting the coast.
They prevent erosion, improve water quality, and are a popular seafood.
Several groups of students have been working with VSU professor Dr. Thomas Manning on a project to help oysters the last several years along with Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in panacea.
Oyster are a key focus as they are a critical structure to help mitigate shoreline erosion, improve water quality, and in turn, keeps South Georgians employed and fed.
But worldwide oyster populations are down more than 90 percent.
"We humans have done so much damage, so we should try to reverse that process … reverse that damage that we already have done.
Dr. Manning and his students are working on method that helps restore and enhance oyster populations along the southeastern coasts.
Thomas Wilson is one of the student working on the project with Dr. Manning.
He's a senior majoring Biology and minoring in Chemistry.
He explains to me that how the students work in their designated greenhouse.
"The greenhouse we make like the concrete box that we would treat in a solution to help attract the oysters help and have a place to grow on."
Even if you don't live by the shore, this still helps you in the long run.
The nearest coastal area to Valdosta is only about 66 miles away, about a 90 minute drive.
The WithlacoocheeRriver flows 160 miles before discharging into the Gulf of Mexico.
One oyster filters 50 gallons of water; without oyster bars, our waterways would be less clean and more prone to pollution.
This is why Thomas tells me the work his fellow students and Dr. Manning do is so impactful here.
"Even though like it's not like what I want to do and like I really think this is important and like everybody should actually do something similar to this."
Dr. Manning and his students’ methods, along with Gulf Speicmen, have already been shown to restore and enhance oyster populations along the southeastern coasts. In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas ABC27.
