MASHPEE - The Nature Conservancy recently teamed up with the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service and Mashpee to rebuild an oyster reef in Mashpee's Hamblin Pond.
About 134 cubic yards of shells were introduced to the floor of the coastal estuary to form the foundation of a new reef, the likes of which were on prominent in our coasts but have become functionally extinct here and in much of the world due to factors such as overharvesting and pollution.
Over the next few years, the steady addition of hundreds of thousands of adult and juvenile oysters would aim to establish a steady colonization of oysters in the reef and surrounding areas with suitable habitat.
Experts say the rejuvenation of coastal reefs would provide cleaner water on account of oysters' natural filtration, in addition to nursing ground for fish and seaweed, benefitting local fisheries and aquaculture while promoting a healthier ecosystem.
The effects would be felt above ground as well, as oyster reefs can provide a powerful buffer against coastal flood surges, mitigating the effects of larger storms by creating a more resilient coastline.
The effort mirrors many other regional projects aiming to restore coastal oyster habitat, such as the Shell Recycling Program operated by the Wellfleet Oyster Alliance in Wellfleet.