Chestertown, MD — The Center for Environment & Society at Washington College and the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc, will host an Oyster Float Workshop on the lawn of the Custom House in Chestertown on Saturday, August 9, at 10:00 AM. Program coordinator Mark Wiest will go over all of the basics on how to start an "oyster garden" on local tributaries.
The creation, maintenance and monitoring of oyster floats—known as Taylor floats—are part of oyster restoration projects on the Chester River and at Eastern Neck Island. The floats provide an ideal habitat for oysters as they grow from a small "spat on shell" to a year-old oyster. At that point, hundreds of oysters from each float will be introduced to existing oyster bars on upper Chesapeake Bay.
If you do not have waterfront access from your own property, but still want to get your feet in the water, then come aboard as a volunteer monitor. Volunteers are needed to help with data collection on oyster growth and mortality at the College's test sites in Comegys Bight and at Eastern Neck Island. Opportunities are also available through the Adopt-A-Spat program, where people can feel great about supporting oyster awareness and stewardship on the Chester without dealing with the barnacles, algae and flatworms.
The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required by August 8. To register, and for more information, call 410/778-7295 or contact mwiest2@washcoll.edu.
August 4, 2008
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