Project final report - National Estuarine Research Reserve Association

Expanding Living Shorelines within the ACE Basin NERR to
Protect Habitat and to Reduce Climate Change Vulnerability
through the Application of Collaborative Science-Based
Habitat Restoration.
A Final Report Submitted to the
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
Science Collaborative
August 15th 2015
Project Start Date: September 1st 2012
Project Completion Date: June 30th 2015
Project Coordinator: Dr. John W. Leffler
Applied Science Lead: Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith
Collaboration Lead: Blaik Keppler
Submitted by:
Name: Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith
NERR: ACE Basin NERR, South Carolina, USA
Email: kingsleysmithp@dnr.sc.gov
Phone: 843-953-9840
This project was funded by a grant from NOAA/National Estuarine Research Reserve Science
Collaborative, NOAA Grant Number NA09NOS4190153.
1
1. Abstract
The overall goal for this project was to address three of the four ACE Basin NERR priority
management issues, “Habitat Conservation”, “Water Quality”, and “Community Resilience”, by
expanding living shorelines in the ACE Basin through a community-based, intended user-driven
collaboration with SCDNR. Specifically, the project sought to achieve the following goals: 1)
Create living shorelines that restore and conserve habitat by reducing erosion, improving water
quality, and creating ever-growing breakwaters to protect shorelines in an era of climate changedriven sea level rise; 2) Enhance communication and cooperation among local user groups; 3)
Establish habitat restoration lay advisors and monitors who will continue their activities beyond
the scope and timeframe of this project; and 4) Increase public commitment to stewardship.
From the very outset of this project’s development, the engagement of stakeholders was a key
component. More conventional oyster reef habitat restoration and enhancement projects are
targeted towards very specific locations chosen by research scientists and explicitly identified in
the proposal submitted for funding; in this project, this was not the case. While the project
boundary area was known at the outset, siting restoration efforts within the ACE Basin NERR in
South Carolina, USA, sites were proposed by stakeholders gathered from a diversity of
perspectives, evaluated by collaborative field teams of stakeholders and SCDNR staff, and
ultimately prioritized and selected by a subset of the stakeholder group as a whole, through the
assembly of a Project Advisory Committee. Following these selections of sites in both years of
the project, SCDNR researchers coordinated logistics and materials needed for the oyster reef
substrate deployments to facilitate volunteer-based activities at sites that addressed priorities for
oyster reef restoration efforts identified by the stakeholders, specifically that reefs would: 1)
Address erosion of saltmarsh habitat; 2) Lead to water quality improvement; 3) Provide
opportunities for public access and have high visibility; 4) Create benefits to wildlife; and 5)
Minimally impact viewscape (arising from concerns in year 2 of the impacts of the permit-driven
signage on reefs).
Between April 2013 and May 2015, this project led to 53 reef-building events at 38 discrete
locations through the ACE Basin NERR, through the deployment of four different reef substrates
(loose oyster shell, bagged oyster shell, concrete oyster castles, and re-purposed cement crab
traps), matched to site characteristics by drawing upon the expertise and previous experience of
the SCDNR research team. Through the deployments of these four reef substrates, this project led
to the protection of 9,256 linear feet (> 1.7 miles) of shoreline and engaged 840 volunteers that
provided 2,218 hours of time. Furthermore, the volunteer labor to bag shell needed for the bagged
shell reef, producing 8,099 bags, involved a further 1,082 volunteers, providing an additional 1,438
volunteer hours to the project. Volunteers (n=44) were also engaged in monitoring activities,
generating yet more (n=139) volunteer hours for the project. Staff also incorporated salt marsh
restoration activities into this project, by engaging elementary to high school children (n=100) in
the growing and planting of Spartina seedlings. Staff associated with this project also worked in
classrooms to educate K-12 students as to the importance of oysters in our estuaries. This project
also generated tremendous opportunities for less formal education by talking to stakeholders about
the values of oyster restoration work while they were engaged in many different facets of the
project overall. The SCDNR project team hopes to carry the momentum from this project forward
into a new NERRS Science Collaborative project aimed at facilitating and empowering private
citizens to establish living shorelines in front of their own properties, as viable alternatives to
bulkheads and seawalls.
2
1. Management problem and context
The local coastal management problem addressed in this project was the ongoing loss of shoreline
through erosional processes and exacerbated losses that are anticipated under scenarios of future
global climate change-driven sea level rise. Imminent threats from human population growth and
development practices, together with impending sea level rise, threaten to reshape the ACE Basin
ecosystem. Within the ACE Basin NERR, eroding shorelines include areas impacted by winddriven waves, such as the mouth of the Edisto River where human communities are situated, sites
supporting critical habitat for species of special concern, and many Army Corps of Engineerscreated cuts through marsh islands along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Marshes
along these cuts lack the hard substrate needed for oyster recruitment and therefore the stabilization
effected by subsequent oyster reef growth, and thus are actively eroding, leaving bare shelves of
mud and degraded water quality. Rates of erosion in such areas are often further increased by
heavy boat traffic (e.g., Kennish 2002).
The oyster reef habitat restoration efforts implemented in this project directly related to the
“Habitat change and restoration” and the “Nonpoint source pollution” focus areas of this initial
RFP. Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are recognized as ecosystem engineers (Gutiérrez,
2003; ASMFC, 2007) that create complex habitats utilized by numerous finfish, invertebrates,
wading birds, and mammals (Peterson et al., 2003; Plunket & Peyre 2005; Luckenbach et al.,
2005). More than 83 species of finfish and invertebrates are associated with intertidal oyster reefs
in South Carolina, including all 22 species managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC, 2007). In terms of habitat value, the South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (SAFMC, 2009) has designated oyster reefs as essential fish habitat. Intertidal oyster
reefs reduce sediment erosion, a form of nonpoint source pollution, through their action as natural
breakwaters and shoreline stabilizers. They also improve water clarity and quality by filtering
large quantities of water, controlling phytoplankton populations, and transferring nutrients from
the water column to the benthos (Dame et al., 2001; Porter et al., 2004). The importance of
documenting both direct and indirect ecosystem services as a metric of the success of restoration
efforts, above and beyond the amelioration of losses to a commercially exploited resource,
specifically C. virginica, was highlighted by Coen & Luckenbach (2000).
Rising sea level is widely predicted by global climate models (Karl et al., 2009), possibly
destroying vast expanses of salt marshes as shorelines erode or are inundated. Throughout most
of its range, C. virginica occurs subtidally; however, in South Carolina and Georgia more than
95% of oyster reefs are intertidal (Bahr & Lanier, 1981; Burrell, 1986) and consist of threedimensional multi-generational vertical clusters of oysters that generate approximately 50 times
the surface area of a non-oyster intertidal mud bottom (Bahr & Lanier, 1981). Unlike subtidal
oysters, intertidal populations form natural breakwaters which protect fringing marshes from
erosion by storms, boat wakes, wind-driven waves, and long-shore currents (Meyer et al., 1997;
Piazza et al., 2005). This habitat restoration project served to reduce these erosion rates and protect
shorelines adjacent to sites identified and addressed by project stakeholders. Oyster reefs are
formed by one generation of oysters settling on the shells of previous generations, resulting in
increased reef height with each subsequent generation. Vertical growth of oyster reefs is limited
by immersion time. As sea level rises, reef heights will naturally increase such that reefs persist
as natural, growing breakwaters which adjust to tidal elevation, thus offering great potential for
shoreline protection in the face of rising sea levels.
3
The ACE Basin staff, particularly Stewardship Coordinator Al Segars and CTP Coordinator Blaik
Keppler, frequently engage in on-going discussions with many groups that have vested interests
in protecting the natural resources of the ACE Basin. Dr. Segars regularly takes these stakeholders
on boat tours of the NERR and explains how even some of the very small-scale existing living
shoreline projects have been working to stem erosion and improve water clarity. Stakeholders on
such tours began talking about the many other sites in the ACE Basin that were suffering from
shoreline erosion, especially along the ICW and inhabited barrier islands. Dr. Segars, as a
representative of his stewardship constituency, approached the rest of the project team with a
request to ramp up the SCDNR oyster restoration program to make more significant impacts on
some of the most severely affected areas within the ACE Basin. Additional local user groups were
contacted to gauge their opinions and ideas concerning an expansive, integrated effort, and they
expressed enthusiastic support. The recognition that each of these groups has its own perspective
regarding priority areas for restoration, led to the idea of using a facilitated collaborative learning
approach for promoting communication among all partners and for developing the necessary
coordination among the groups that best utilizes their unique resources. A compelling collection
of letters of support from some of the representative partners expressing the manner in which this
project, if funded, would support the missions of their organizations, was an important component
of the submitted proposal.
The 2011-2016 NERRS Strategic Plan (2011) lists “Climate Change”, “Habitat Protection”, and
“Water Quality” as the three focus areas for the Reserve System. Phrasing from Objectives and
Strategies in the Plan include: “Increase…restoration…to improve coastal habitat quantity,
quality, and resiliency to climate change impacts”; “Demonstrate best practices in…stewardship
and climate change adaptation”; “Identify, prioritize, and implement…habitat restoration projects
taking into account climate change impacts”; “Implement…programs to promote…resource
stewardship”; and “Lead…collaborative projects that connect scientists with intended users”. The
2011-2016 ACE Basin NERR Management Plan (2011) cites “Habitat Conservation”, “Water
Quality”, and “Community Resilience” as three of its four Priority Management Issues, all of
which were directly addressed by this project. In the Reserve’s 2006 Needs Assessment, local
decision-makers scored “alternatives to bulkheads/marsh shoreline stabilization” as highest
priority under Beach and Shoreline Management; Habitat restoration scored highest in the Natural
Resource/Habitat Issues category (ACE Basin Management Plan, 2011). Oyster reefs are
identified as critical habitats of concern in SCDNR’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation
Strategy Plan (see Kohlsaat et al., 2005). The Nature Conservancy’s biological assessment of the
Carolinian Ecoregion identifies oyster reefs as priority conservation targets (DeBlieu et al., 2005).
The ASMFC (2010) explicitly highlights the ecological services of oyster reefs and their role as
natural breakwaters. The value of oyster reefs and salt marshes are discussed extensively in the
SAFMC Fishery Ecosystem Plan (SAFMC, 2009).
Several barriers which this project sought to overcome were identified early on in the project
development phase. Although the SCDNR has an established, highly successful community-based
restoration program, namely the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE)
Program, its funding is limited. A recent project along the ICW has been especially successful at
stemming erosion, improving water quality, and expanding salt marsh habitat behind the reef. This
restored reef, however, only protects 250 feet of shoreline out of several miles in that particular
waterway in need of protection, and funding only permits 100 feet to be added every two years.
Construction of reefs requires volunteer manpower, logistical planning, and infrastructure support.
Funding limitations also restrict the time available for volunteer coordination efforts. There is so
4
much area in need of shoreline stabilization that a thoughtful plan needed to be developed, ideally
through structured decision-making using collaborative learning methods, to prioritize the
allocation of limited coordination and construction resources. Although significant in some
quarters, in general levels of community awareness and stewardship needed to be increased in
order to facilitate improved protection and restoration of ACE Basin natural resources.
2. Outcomes, methods and data
During the first six months of this project (September 2012-March 2013) the project team worked
closely with intended users to identify specific locations within the ACE Basin for oyster reef
construction and to prepare for spring 2013 reef constructions. The NERR-SCDNR project team
contacted a variety of intended users involved with the ACE Basin area and who were leaders of
different constituencies. A total of 34 individuals representing NGOs, government agencies,
recreational groups, and schools, as well as 10 project staff participated in a six hour workshop
held on December 6th 2012 at the Nemours Plantation, South Carolina, USA. Attendees at this
workshop are listed below.
Expanding the ACE Basin's Living Shorelines
Thursday December 6th 2012, Nemours Plantation, SC.
Stakeholders
Amanda Flake
Bess Kellett
Bob Sandifer
Bruce Doneff
Denise Parsick
Dick Yetter
E.M. "Bud" Skidmore
Elizabeth Vernon Bell
Frank Gibson
Frank Roberts
Fred Kinard
Helga Crandall
Howard Schnabolk
James Brailsford III
James Rader
James Rosen
Janie Lackman
Jenks Mikell
John Fisk
Joy Brown
Laura Reasonover
Mark Purcell
Nicole Barnes
Patty Kennedy
Phil Young
Queen Quet
Rebekah Crandall
Reed Armstrong
Taylor Sikes
Teri Metalak
Tony Mills
Tracy Sanders
Tripp Boltin
Will Doar
Affiliation
Beaufort County
SCDNR Botany Bay Volunteer Coordinator
FRESPACE
Friends of Hunting Island State Park
Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District
SCNRCS
Edisto Island Preservation Alliance
SC Sea Grant Consortium
Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club
Lady's Island Oyster Company
SC Wildlife Federation
Beaufort High School CREATE Club
NOAA Restoration Center
Edisto Island Preservation Alliance
Ducks Unlimited
Beaufort Sail and Power Squadron
Fripp Island Turtle Program
EIOLT Marine Advisory Committee
Lowcountry Master Naturalists
The Nature Conservancy
Colleton County Middle School
ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge
Colleton Preparatory Academy
Beaufort Open Land Trust
Sea Island Fly Fishers
Gullah-Geechee Sea Island Coalition
Beaufort High School CREATE Club
Coastal Conservation League
OV Associates/St. Jude Farms
St Helena Elementary - Beaufort County Schools
Lowcountry Institute
USACE Regulatory Division
US Fish and Wildlife Service
SCDNR Coastal Geologist
Project Staff
Al Segars
Benjamin Stone
Blaik Keppler
John Leffler
Kristin Schulte
Mark Rasmussen
Michael Hodges
Nancy Hadley
Peter Kingsley-Smith
Susan Lovelace
Affiliation
SCDNR / ACE Basin NERR
SCDNR
SCDNR
SCDNR / ACE Basin NERR
SCDNR
ACE Basin NERR / College of Charleston
SCDNR
SCDNR
SCDNR
NOAA Hollings Marine Laboratory
5
The intended user participants established a
set of criteria for selecting living shoreline
oyster reef construction sites (erosion control,
water
quality
improvement,
public
accessibility/visibility, and benefits to
wildlife).
Participants were then given
detailed maps of the ACE Basin (see photo
shown left) produced by SCDNR Shellfish
Research Section GIS specialists.
By
working first in teams and then as a whole,
they identified 26 potential locations that they
felt met their criteria and deserved high
priority in terms of evaluation as possible
oyster reef habitat restoration and
enhancement sites. The workshop concluded with some of the participants volunteering to serve
on the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) that would serve to provide advice and guidance to the
broader group of stakeholders throughout the remainder of the project.
During January 2013 two teams of SCDNR
biologists, accompanied each day by
volunteers from the workshop (example
shown right), visited all of the proposed sites
identified in the earlier workshop. Based on
a list of parameters, each site was scored for
its suitability for living shoreline construction
and the viable potential approaches identified.
Data collected during these site visits
included: Site name; date assessed; county;
latitude and longitude; viable restoration
strategies (loose oyster shell, bagged oyster
shell, oyster castles, or concrete-coated crab
traps); creek width (m); slope measurements
(average of 3 measurements at each site, being shown measured in the photograph shown above);
distance from MLW to edge of marsh; distance from marsh to back edge of future restoration reef;
sediment type (e.g., mud, mud/clay, shell, etc.); ‘sinkability’ (cm); shell matrix depth (beneath
sediment surface, cm); nearby oyster abundance (1-5, where 1=no oysters nearby); distance to
nearest oysters (m); potential length of available substrate (m); potential width of available
substrate (m); potential area of available substrate (length x width, m2); creek form (straight vs.
curved); shoreline site occurs on when looking downstream (left vs. right); nearby structures
(checking all that applied, e.g., docks, houses, boat landing, marina); distance to nearest access
point; SCDNR Management Status (e.g., State Shellfish Ground, Undesignated, Culture Permit);
and SCDHEC Status (e.g., Prohibited, Restricted).
Project staff met with the PAC on February 6th 2013 to report on the recommendations for each
site. The PAC members then evaluated the merits of each location and prioritized those sites
(using black poker chips) to be addressed during the first year of the project. Members were able
to prioritize sites individually but were asked to allocate restoration resources to short-listed sites,
using different color chips (i.e., white, blue, red, and green) for each strategy, by working together
6
to reach consensus. The PAC members allocated the habitat restoration and enhancement
resources (i.e., loose shell, bagged shell, castle and traps) to the prioritized sites based on finite
ceilings for each approach determined by the project staff (see photos below left and right).
Following on from this PAC meeting, SCDNR
biologists and volunteer coordinators organized
the logistics of assembling materials and
transportation, and worked with the various
intended user groups to organize volunteers that
assisted with reef construction, which took place
between April and September in 2013 (see Table
1 below and Appendices).
A second six hour stakeholder workshop was hosted on September 10th 2013, again at the Nemours
Plantation in the ACE Basin, SC. All of the participants from the previous year, as well as others
who became involved during the year, were invited. 31 individuals representing NGOs,
government agencies, recreational groups, and schools had planned to participate, and 23 attended
on the day along with 9 project staff. SCDNR staff reported on the status of reefs that had been
constructed during the previous six months. The stakeholder group reviewed and discussed the
criteria that they had established the previous year for selecting living shoreline oyster reef
construction sites (erosion control, water quality improvement, public access/visibility, and
benefits to wildlife). The intended users were again provided with detailed maps of the ACE Basin
and followed an equivalent process as for year 1 sites to identify sites to be addressed in year 2.
The final part of the workshop involved setting up a lay monitoring program for the reefs already
constructed during year 1. Memory sticks that not only contained all the presentations and maps
used by the group, but also a fillable monitoring form, were provided to all workshop participants.
Volunteers participating in the lay monitoring program would be expected to visit reefs that they
had helped to construct, or other newly constructed reefs, make a series of observations at low tide
from boat or shore, fill in the form, and email it to the project’s Applied Science Lead for
evaluation and archiving.
During October and November 2013 two teams of SCDNR biologists, accompanied by volunteers
from the workshop, visited all of the sites proposed for consideration during the September 2013
workshop. Based on the agreed-upon criteria, each site was scored for its suitability for living
7
shoreline construction. This again included identifying which of four methods (loose oyster shell,
bagged oyster shell, oyster castles, or concrete-coated crab traps) would be suitable for each
location. Project staff met with the PAC (9 members present) on December 3rd 2013 to report on
the recommendations for proposed site. With the issue of viewscape that had arisen (see section
4 Retrospective below), the survey teams had been instructed to note possible problems with a
location in regard to property owners along the waterway. The PAC members discussed the
question of viewscape degradation and decided to add it as a fifth criterion to be considered in
selecting reef construction sites for year 2. A laptop with Google Earth was provided to the PAC
members during this meeting so that aerial views of potential sites could be evaluated for possible
viewscape degradation. The PAC members evaluated the merits of each location, prioritized those
sites to be addressed during the second year of the project, and allocated the resources to each site.
PAC members made suggestions of how reef building sessions might be scheduled to increase
volunteer participation. The PAC also discussed the fourth project goal, to increase public
commitment to stewardship. Suggestions were made to integrate stewardship development
activities into the next large workshop, at the time planned for the conclusion of the project
(although ultimately never convened).
Following the December 2013 PAC meeting, SCDNR staff biologists and volunteer coordinators
began purchasing materials, organizing the logistics of assembling materials and transportation,
and working with the various intended user groups to organize volunteers who will assist with reef
construction. Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith, Benjamin Stone, and Dr. John Leffler met with US Army
Corp of Engineers (Charleston District) representatives to discuss their criteria for issuing permits
in the hopes of avoiding the rejection of proposed sites by the Corps during their permit review
processes. Permit applications were filed and modifications made in consultation with the Corps.
Year 2 oyster reef construction occurred between April and September in 2014, with reef site
details provided in Table 1 below. The assignment of reef-building methods to each site was based
upon the earlier site evaluations (October-November 2013) conducted by SCDNR staff
accompanied by volunteers. The locations of all of the reefs created in this project (all years
combined) are shown in Figure 1 below. In addition to being involved in the reef substrate
deployments (bags, crab traps, and castles) volunteers were also engaged in site selection (n=8, 37
hours total), to assist with large-scale plantings (n=4, 12 hours total), and in the collection and
processing of biological samples collected from bagged shell reefs (n=1, 10 hours total; n=35, 140
hours total, respectively for collection and processing).
In association with two of the bagged shell reef sites, although not directly funded by this project,
the SCDNR project team coordinated the planting of cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora seedlings.
At the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff site (#21), students from Ashley Hall School (n=23, 57.5 hours
total) and Colleton Middle School (n=17, 8.5 hours total) restored saltmarsh measuring 22.8 m2
and 12.5 m2, respectively. In addition, students from Coosaw Elementary School (n=63, 126 hours
total) conducted S. alterniflora restoration over 5.7 m2 at the Port Royal Sound Maritime Center.
In addition to these engagements, SCDNR staff led a Problem Solving Workshop at the Ashley
Hall School (n=15 students) and led an oyster reef dissection lesson at Beaufort Academy (n=20
students) and at the Lowcountry Montessori School (n=71 students).
8
Table 1. Summary table of all reef builds; sites are numbered in the sequential order in which
they were first constructed. If a site was re-visited for the expansion of its reef footprint(s) in a
subsequent event, this site retained its initial site number allocation (e.g., Harbor River site #9 first
had a reef constructed there on 5/23/2013, and then again on 6/24/2013). This convention is
adopted here in part to simplify the labelling for the build summary shown in Figure 1.
YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
Site #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
9
12
3
11
6
13
14
15
16
15
17
18
17
19
20
21
22
23
5
24
25
26
27
28
6
6
29
30
31
32
33
1
34
35
17
36
37
21
38
38
38
Completion date
4/26/2013
5/7/2013
5/8/2013
5/14/2013
5/17/2013
5/21/2013
5/22/2013
5/23/2013
5/23/2013
5/31/2013
6/4/2013
6/19/2013
6/24/2013
7/18/2013
8/22/2013
9/17/2013
9/18/2013
9/19/2013
3/26/2014
3/28/2014
3/28/2014
4/14/2014
4/25/2014
4/26/2014
4/26/2014
5/5/2014
5/7/2014
5/12/2014
5/13/2014
5/14/2014
5/20/2014
5/20/2014
5/20/2014
5/21/2014
5/22/2014
5/23/2014
5/28/2014
6/9/2014
6/10/2014
6/10/2014
6/12/2014
6/13/2014
7/10/2014
7/10/2014
7/10/2014
7/22/2014
7/23/2014
7/24/2014
9/10/2014
9/11/2014
5/16/2015
5/16/2015
5/16/2015
Site Name
Factory Creek
Fenwick Cut
Beaufort River
Beaufort River
Whale Branch
Big Bay Creek
Beaufort River
Ocella Creek
Harbor River
Morgan River
Scott Creek
Lucy Point Creek
Harbor River
Lucy Point Creek
Beaufort River
Scott Creek
Big Bay Creek
Russell Creek
Fishing Creek
Dawho Cut
South Edisto River
Dawho Cut
Coosaw River
Spanish Moss Trail
Coosaw River
South Edisto River
South Edisto River
Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff
Fenwick Cut
South Edisto River
Whale Branch
Barnwell Creek
St. Pierre Creek
Coosaw River
Dawho River
Dawho River
Big Bay Creek
Big Bay Creek
Jenkins Creek
Steamboat Creek
Jenkins Creek
Hunting Island
Beaufort River
Factory Creek
Beaufort River
Lucy Point Creek
Coosaw River
Morgan River
Fishing Creek
Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff
Chechessee River
Chechessee River
Chechessee River
Strategy
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Oyster castles
Oyster castles
Crab traps
Crab traps
Crab traps
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Loose shell
Loose shell
Loose shell
Loose shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Crab traps
Crab traps
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Bagged shell
Crab traps
Oyster castles
Oyster castles
Oyster castles
Oyster castles
Oyster castles
Bagged shell
Oyster castles
Crab traps
TOTAL
9
Shoreline (ft)
100
87
54
419
35
52
1208
56
240
1104
58
70
48
60
160
120
114
114
64
65
21
65
59
42
59
552
310
59
56
520
24
40
775
268
178
254
72
86
57
100
100
68
71
43
150
150
200
200
100
200
50
50
50
9256
# volunteers
58
16
29
2
54
54
2
22
0
0
8
4
12
4
24
1
0
5
4
# volunteer hrs
153
40
58
6
108
162
6
66
0
0
24
8
70
8
60
4
0
20
12
15
53
45
26
18
19
0
0
34
34
0
75
26
0
0
0
0
20
11
20
1
1
24
10
3
0
2
0
5
1
1
65
65
20
840
116
91
27
67
0
0
119
119
0
150
39
0
0
0
0
50
28
70
4
20
42
30
6
8
4
0
4
4
4
130
130
10
2128
10
YEAR 3
YEAR 2
YEAR 1
Enactus (NGO), East Carolina University, College of Charleston Biology Club
Volunteer Group
Wild Dunes Resort (w/ Eli Lilly and Co.)
MUSC, Hanahan High School Ecology Club
Stahl High School
Christ Our King - Stella Maris School
Porter Gaud School
Stahl High School
DePaul University
JHM Hotels
Boy Scout Association Troop 44
Enactus (NGO), College of Charleston Volunteer Corps, Lake Marion High
School
Colleton Preparatory Academy
Whale Branch Middle School
North Greenville University
College of Charleston Volunteer Corps, Fort Dorchester High School, Students
for Social Innovation
Discovery Week w/ Hilton Head Preparatory School
James Island Charter High School
Citadel Leadership Day (Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics)
Citadel Rod and Gun Club
Lowcountry Master Naturalists
DePaul University
DePaul University
Friends of Hunting Island, Sea Island Fly Fishers, Beaufort High School CREATE
Club, Beaufort High School Animal Welfare Club, Whale Branch High School,
Whale Branch Middle School, Lowcountry Institute, Habersham Green, Beaufort
2/22/2014
County School District
Wando High School, Bishop England High School, Charleston Soil & Water
Conservation District, James Island Charter High School, Coastal Master
3/1/2014
Naturalists
Montessori Community School, United States Air Force, Coastal Master
3/3/2014
Naturalists, Pfeiffer University
3/4/2014
East Cooper Montessori School, United States Air Force
4/4/2014
North Greenville University
3/30/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
3/31/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
4/1/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
4/2/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
4/8/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
4/9/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
5/5/2015
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
10/5/2013
10/8/2013
10/11/2013
10/23/2013
10/29/2013
11/12/2013
12/4/2013
12/12/2013
9/28/2013
2/23/2013
3/4/2013
3/15/2013
4/5/2013
Date
9/26/2012
10/13/2012
11/2/2012
11/10/2012
11/15/2012
11/30/2012
12/6/2012
1/9/2013
2/16/2013
13
30
12
40
Walterboro
Beaufort
Bennetts Point
Fort Johnson
48
14
16
51
10
11
16
53
20
29
56
13
28
58
60
50
62
65
41
1082
Trask
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Bennetts Point
Bennetts Point
Beaufort County Public Works
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Bennetts Point
Okatie
Okatie
Okatie
Okatie
Okatie
Okatie
Okatie
TOTAL
37
27
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
# volunteers
13
24
40
28
16
45
21
18
17
Location
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Fort Johnson
Bennetts Point
Fort Johnson
Bennetts Point
112
13
14
29
30
25
31
33
21
1438
58
50
133
31
18
40
89
8
22
48
65
80
13
45
24
54
# volunteer hrs
26
48
40
56
16
45
53
45
26
320
150
55
55
55
55
55
57
40
8099
132
373
762
114
160
501
1047
73
150
150
541
539
75
125
200
530
# bags produced
284
355
54
200
122
50
200
320
200
Table 2. Summary table of volunteer involvement in oyster shell bagging events that led to future
oyster reef building events using these SCORE Program-style bags as substrate.
Table 3. Summary list of volunteer groups involved in the project, including the bagging of shell
and the building of the oyster reefs.
AMI Kids - Beaufort
Ashley Hall School
Baldwin Wallace University
Beaufort Academy
Beaufort County Open Land Trust
Beaufort County School District
Beaufort Greendrinks
Beaufort High School Animal Welfare Club
Beaufort High School CREATE Club
Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District
Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club
Bishop England High School
Botany Bay Volunteers
Boy Scout Troop 44
Charleston Day School
Charleston Soil and Water Conservation District
Christ Our King School
Coastal Conservation Association of South Carolina
Coastal Master Naturalists Association
College of Charleston Biology Club
College of Charleston ENACTUS
College of Charleston Volunteer Corps
Colleton County Middle School
Colleton Preparatory Academy
DePaul University
East Carolina University
East Cooper Montessori School
Edisto Beach State Park
Edisto Island Open Land Trust
Edisto Island Preservation Alliance
Eli Lilly
Fort Dorchester High School
Friends of Edisto Beach State Park and ACE Basin
Friends of Hunting Island
Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail
Habersham Green
Master list of all project volunteer groups
Hanahan High School Eco Club
Hilton Head Preparatory School
Hunting Island State Park
James Island Charter High School
JHM Hotel Group
Joint Base Charleston
Lady's Island Oyster Company
Lake Marion High School
Lake Norman Charter High School
Lions Club
Lowcountry Institute
Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association
Lowcountry Master Naturalists Association
Medical University of South Carolina
Minorities in Marine and Environmental Sciences REU Program (NSF)
Montessori Community School
North Greenville University
Northwood Academy
Pfeiffer University
Porter Gaud School
Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Foundation
SCDOT
Sea Island Fly Fishers
Stahl High School
Students for Social Innovation
The Citadel Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics
The Citadel Rod and Gun Club
Unaffiliated Community Volunteers
US Air Force
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Wando High School
West Carrolton High School
Whale Branch High School
Whale Branch Middle School
Wild Dune Resort
11
Figure 1. Summary map of all reef sites across the three years of the project (as detailed in Table
1 above). It should be noted that several sites received oyster reef substrate on multiple occasions,
both within years, e.g., site #9 in the Harbor River, and across years, e.g., site #6 at Big Bay Creek.
12
Figures 2-9. ‘Before and After’ photographs of selected sites showing the appearance of the reef
immediately following the placement of the settlement substrate on the shoreline and upon return
visits for monitoring approximately one year post-installation.
Figure 2. Big Bay
Creek site
immediately
following deployment
of concrete-coated
crab traps on
September 18th 2013.
Figure 3. Big Bay
Creek crab trap reef on
September 12th, 2014
approximately one year
after construction.
Small oysters are
clearly visible attached
to the traps. A Snowy
egret can also be seen
foraging in front of the
reef.
13
Figure 4. Photograph
of Beaufort River
oyster castle site taken
5 days after the
construction date of
August 21st 2013.
Sediment can already
be shown accreting
behind the castles.
Figure 5. Beaufort
River oyster castle site
on September 8th, 2014,
a little over a year after
construction. Oysters
can be seen growing on
the castles and
sediment can be seen
accumulating behind
the oyster castles.
14
Figure 6. Coosaw
River (site #26)
photographed on June
10th 2014 following the
planting of loose shell
on May 21st 2014.
Figure 7. Coosaw River
(site #26) photographed
approximately 1 year
later (April 14th 2015)
15
Figure 8. Lucy Point
Creek bagged oyster
shell reef (site #12)
photographed
immediately following
the planting of the shell
bags on June 19th 2013.
Figure 9. Lucy Point
Creek bagged oyster
shell reef (site #12)
photographed less than
1 year later (April 14th
2015) showing the
considerable
recruitment and growth
of new oysters onto the
substrate. It is also
worth noting the
expansion of the
Spartina marsh in the
middle of the reef.
16
Reef monitoring (one-year post construction)
Newly created reefs were monitored approximately one year after the deployment of substrate
designed to attract the new recruits of oysters. The methods for monitoring of the reefs varied
between the approaches as each is tailored specifically to the substrate in question, although
some of the key metrics (oyster size and density) were universal to all reef types. Not all reefs
were monitored and as such data for all reefs are not presented here. In part this was due to the
timeframe of the grant, which did not allow for complete monitoring of one year postconstruction reefs built in year 2 of the project, but also reflects other limitations in terms of
tides, personnel and resources. That said, beyond the scope of this project, many of the newly
created reefs will be re-visited in future years to determine their success and ability to protect
shorelines from erosion as part of a decade-long meta-analysis of SCDNR restoration efforts.
Bagged shell reefs – For the bagged shell-based reefs, in the spring of 2014 and 2015 replicate
bag samples (n=3) were collected from 5 reefs constructed in 2013 and from 8 reefs constructed
in 2014 for the evaluation of oyster density and size (see Tables A1 and A2 in Appendices).
NERR Science Collaborative bagged shell reefs had densities ranging from 848 to 8,436
oysters/m2. Sites constructed in 2013 had
slightly below average density (4,206
Figure 10.
oysters/m2) compared to the mean (5,044
oysters/m2) for all SCORE reefs
constructed in 2013 (Table A1). Sites
constructed in 2014 also had below
average density (3,169 oysters/m2) when
compared to all SCORE Program reefs
constructed in 2014 (4,837 oysters/m2)
(Table A2).
Loose shell reefs – Replicate quadrat
samples (1/4 m2, n=3) were collected
from the large-scale, loose shell planted
reefs built in 2013 and 2014 at
approximately one year of age to evaluate
recruitment and growth. Figures shown
here demonstrate the appearance of the ¼
m2 sampling area immediately before
(Figure 10, shown above right) and after
(Figure 11, shown below right), the
oysters within the sampling area were
removed.
Figure 11.
This reef type had densities ranging from
133 to 4,668 oysters/m2 (Appendix Tables
A3 and A4). The large-scale reefs planted
in 2013 had an average density of 2,074
oysters/m2, across all sites, which is slightly lower than the statewide average (2,340 oysters/m2)
(Table A3). Average density of oysters for sites planted in 2014 had an average density of 3,174
oysters/m2, which again was slightly lower than the statewide average (3,657 oysters/m2) (Table
A4).
17
Figure 12. Close up of 1 year old
oysters on large-scale reef in the
Morgan River (image captured on
2/27/2014).
Footprints of all loose shell reefs
constructed in 2013 and 2014 were
mapped using a Trimble sub-meter
GPS to determine initial reef planting
footprints and footprint retention
one-year post-deployment. Results
of those retention monitoring efforts
are shown in Table A5.
SCDNR monitors recruitment and
growth of oysters annually by deploying standardized shell trays at multiple sites along the coast.
Recruitment trays were deployed in the spring of 2013 and 2014 and retrieved in the spring of
2014 and 2015 to evaluate recruitment and early growth potential. Trays were not necessarily
deployed at the specific project sites but were deployed in the same watershed. Overall
recruitment in the ACE Basin NERR (9,584 oysters/m2) was significantly higher than the 2013
recruitment statewide (5,943 oysters/m2) (Figure A2). Overall recruitment in the ACE Basin
NERR was slightly higher (8844 oysters/m2) in 2014 than the statewide average (8312
oysters/m2) (Figure A3).
Oyster castle reefs – Image analysis was used to monitor oyster density and growth on oyster
castles constructed at Beaufort River and Lucy Point Creek sites in the summer of 2013 one year
after construction. Images were taken of the top right corner of multiple castle blocks at
different orientations (front and back) and elevations (bottom, middle, top) along with a label and
ruler for calibration of the image analysis software. Image analysis software ImageJ was used to
measure oyster shell height (mm), get a count of the oysters in each image, and measure the area
photographed to determine average shell height (mm) and oyster density (oysters/m2) (Figure
13).
Figure 13. Example of an image used
to determine the density of live oysters
on the outside of an oyster castle-based
reef.
18
The reef in the Beaufort River (site #3) had an average density of 2,947 oysters/m2 and an
average shell height of 17.28 mm after the first year (Table A6, Figure A4). The reef in Lucy
Point Creek (site #12) had an average density of 1,724 oysters/m2 and an average shell height of
13.85 mm (Table A6).
Crab trap-based reefs – Image analysis was also used to monitor oyster density and growth on
cement coated crab trap based reefs constructed at Big Bay Creek and Russell Creek in the
summer/fall 2013 and monitored one year later. Scott Creek was also constructed in the summer
of 2013, but erosion was too great at this location and all traps were buried under sediment one
year later so images could not be taken. Images at the two successful sites (Big Bay Creek and
Russell Creek) were taken of the tops of the traps from directly above for multiple traps within a
quadrat split up into four sections. A randomly selected quadrant within the quadrat was
analyzed using ImageJ image analysis software to measure oyster shell heights (mm) and the
numbers of live oysters in the images. The area photographed was also determined to derive
oyster density (oysters/m2) (Figure 14).
Figure 14. Image of the top of a
concrete coated crab trap with quadrat
and labels for later image analysis.
The reef at the Big Bay Creek site had
an average density of 844 oysters/m2
and an average oyster shell height of
17.19 mm (Table A7, Figure A5). The
reef at the Russell Creek site had an
average density of 459 oysters/m2 and
an average oyster shell height of 21.26
mm (Table A7).
As a closing event to the project, we had originally planned to hold a final stakeholder workshop
in the fall of 2014 in combination with an oyster roast event. The goals of this workshop were to
review reefs constructed in both years of the project, but more so to focus on developing increased
stewardship collaborations within the ACE Basin that may serve to extend and expand upon the
partnerships developed through this project.
In the fall of 2014, following the discovery that we would have funds remaining in the budget,
project staff pursued and were awarded a 6-month no cost extension that enabled us to achieve two
significant accomplishments: 1) Additional reef habitat creation; and 2) A final public awareness
and outreach/education event. Both of these occurred in close collaboration with the Port Royal
Sound Foundation Maritime Center on Lemon Island, SC on the shores of the Chechessee River.
ACE Basin Stewardship Coordinator, Dr Al Segars was approached by staff from the Maritime
Center in the fall of 2014 seeking assistance in developing educational living shoreline exhibits at
the newly opened center. Since the early response to the planned December 2014 workshop was
tepid, staff decided to postpone the event and hold it in conjunction with the festivities planned
with the Maritime Center Foundation members.
19
After several months of careful planning, on May 16th 2015 the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s
Maritime Center hosted “Living Shorelines” day (see Figures 15 & 16 below). With at least 130
volunteers to help, SCDNR biologists led efforts to construct bagged shell, cement-coated crab
trap, and oyster castle reefs in front of the Maritime Center. Volunteers had bagged shell at the
Center on an afternoon the previous week. SCDNR staff are continuing to work with the Maritime
Center to develop long-term signage explaining each of the oyster reef construction methodologies
demonstrated and their ecological benefits to the adjacent waterways and marsh habitats.
Volunteers who had helped with the ACE Basin project over the past two years were recognized,
and new volunteers, both young and old, were welcomed and encouraged to continue to seek
opportunities to become stewards of natural resources and be involved in future volunteering
opportunities.
Figures 15 & 16. Port Royal Sound Maritime Center Living Shorelines Day reef construction.
In the spring of 2016, SCDNR staff will be expanding on the reefs built at the Maritime Center by
installing an experimental reef made of a prefabricated substrate designed by Al Segars, the ACE
Basin NERR Stewardship Coordinator. These experimental units will be constructed from crab
trap material, but will be 4’ long and designed to handle wave energy better than the standard
cubicle crab trap designed for recreational and commercial crab fishing in SC. The units will be
coated with cement to attract spat. These units are being designed to support interest in devising
an inexpensive and easily installed approach that can increase the sizes of the footprints of reefs
created over miles of shoreline, protecting marsh and high land from erosion in anticipation of
rising sea levels. SCDNR researchers are applying for two grants to provide funding to evaluate
these traps in situ and to further refine the design. Al Segars is also raising considerable donations
to purchase the materials and fabrication of prototypes of this design for testing.
In regards to considerations of further steps that could be taken if additional funds and resources
were made available, as is often the case in oyster reef habitat restoration and enhancement
research, there would be value in being able to continue to monitor the newly constructed reefs for
a longer period. Specifically in regards to this project, we were extremely limited in our ability to
monitor the reefs that were constructed in year 2 of the project as the grant was drawing to an end.
The performance of oyster reefs in supporting shoreline protection, erosion control and marsh
accretion is often only evident multiple years after the supplementation of reef substrate i.e.,
addition of shell, either bagged or loose, or other alternative materials, such as oyster castles or
crab traps. In a continuing effort to secure funding from the latest NERRS Science Collaborative
20
RFP, by working with SCDHEC, staff from the SCDNR are hoping to be able to revisit reefs built
as much as a decade ago and gain a better understanding of the longer term performance of oyster
reefs in supporting these ecological services.
2. Retrospect
It quickly became apparent during the first stakeholder workshop that working with the intended
users was going to be extremely productive. They were extremely enthusiastic and invested in the
work. Although some of the tasks that they were asked to do were open-ended, they worked very
effectively as a group to arrive at a consensus that enabled the project to move forward. Their
first-hand knowledge of the issues important to their communities and of the potential project sites
in need of attention to address erosion was invaluable. The area of concern for this project was
quite large, and the local knowledge of the stakeholders who live, work, and play on the waterways
was key to determining priority locations to address with shoreline restoration. This was
particularly evident during site visits in which almost all of the sites that they had suggested during
the workshops met the criteria that they had agreed upon and were suitable for at least one living
shoreline approach that would serve to address current erosion at scales appropriate to the proposed
resources to be directed to the sites in question. If the project staff had determined all of the
locations without this level of input from the community, they likely would not have reflected the
community’s needs to the degree that they did.
Project researchers ran into some unforeseen difficulties because the Charleston District office of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers revised its approach to issuing permits for oyster reef
construction early in 2013. This delayed the start of the loose shell and bagged shell reef
construction several weeks and the construction of the crab trap and oyster castle reefs for
approximately three months. The proposed construction of oyster castle reefs was denied at three
locations based on concerns related to navigational hazards. The delays in review of these permits
and other logistical considerations were such that the planned shoreline extent to be protected by
oyster castles in year 1 that was not addressed was carried forward to year 2, creating a demanding
fieldwork schedule specific to oyster castles in the summer of 2014. As part of our response to
this challenge, the fall 2013 workshop was scheduled earlier than the initial workshop (i.e., in
September 2013, compared to December 2012) in order to allow for more time for permits to be
prepared, submitted and reviewed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, so as to reduce potential
delays to the start of reef construction in year 2 of the project, starting in April 2014.
A concern arose during the summer of 2014 in the form of a complaint from a local ACE Basin
resident who had lived on Russell Creek for many years, directly across from where a crab trapbased oyster reef had been constructed in September of the previous year. As previously
mentioned, the local office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) decided to require
reflective orange signage on all oyster castle and crab trap reefs. The resident in question was
distressed because the signs interfered with her viewscape which she had had a vested interest in
as an amateur competitive photographer for the past two decades. One member of the PAC also
lived in the community. None of the SCDNR staff nor the PAC members were aware that the
ACOE would institute the new local practice of requiring the signage when the site was selected.
It is also worth noting that the resident was entirely onboard with the creation of oyster reef habitat
using repurposed crab traps at this site; her only objection pertained to the unsightly nature of the
signs. Project Lead Dr. John Leffler and Collaboration Lead Blaik Keppler visited the homeowner
and discussed the situation with her. SCDNR biologists subsequently replaced the signs with
smaller ones, one-fourth the original size. The resident was very pleased with the attention and
21
the effort to respond to her concerns. She and her husband expressed support for the living
shoreline program and donated eight crab traps for use in future reef construction.
There were other unexpected outcomes during the course of this project. Evaluations of year 2
sites post-construction had been anticipated to include a lay monitoring component; however,
despite efforts by project staff to facilitate this, very little activity was directed to this by the
stakeholders. Project staff are of the opinion that the stakeholders are most interested in directing
reef construction efforts and being directly involved in the construction of habitat, but are, for the
most part less interested in the collection of follow-up monitoring data.
In addition, as an adaptation between years 1 and 2 in relation to the logistics of the oyster castlebased reef construction activities involving volunteers, in light of the observation that most of the
volunteers for those builds were older individuals, staff revisited how the oyster castle blocks
would be moved to the sites, in ways to reduce some of the heavy lifting associated with moving
the castles in the field. Project staff made the decision to hire a commercial barge to transport
pallets of the oyster castles to the locations needed, as well as a forklift operator to load the barge.
This was a significant improvement over Year 1 when all blocks were individually loaded by hand
onto small boats and then individually unloaded at the build sites.
Through other funding sources, the ACE Basin NERR committed to supporting a graduate student
for twelve months to evaluate both this project and the Low Impact Development Science
Collaborative project. Chris Berg based his Master’s thesis on these evaluations (Berg, C.J. 2015.
Evaluating Collaborative Natural Resource Management in the ACE Basin National Estuarine
Research Reserve. Master’s Thesis, College of Charleston, in prep.). He is enrolled in the College
of Charleston’s Masters of Environmental Studies graduate program. Towards the end of the
project, Chris conducted some interviews with PAC members about their experiences. Overall
they were very pleased with the project and their participation in it. The stakeholders had a couple
of criticisms; the main one being that the stakeholder group did not include enough diversity.
There is substantial body of work within the social sciences that explains why projects such as this
one encounter such pitfalls. Another critique was a lack of communication towards the end of the
project. Essentially, some of the stakeholders expressed a desire for more information about the
results, and how they could stay involved.
In their defense, project staff were somewhat surprised by the less than enthusiastic response to
the idea of a workshop focused on expanding stewardship opportunities that was originally planned
for December 2014. There were only a dozen immediate positive responses out of approximately
50 invitations sent out to the individuals and groups that had originally participated in the other
workshops. In retrospect, this is probably understandable. In prior years the workshops were
designed to gain perspective from all attendees for the purpose of moving the project forward. The
final workshop did not have such a clearly defined objective that would make an immediate
difference on the ground, so there was less enthusiasm about committing time.
As a final unforeseen outcome, since this project was extended longer than originally anticipated,
the Project Coordinator and Fiscal Agent, Dr. John Leffler, was not able to see it through to
completion. Dr. Leffler retired from service with the South Carolina Department of Natural
Resources on March 6th 2015 at which time Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith, project Applied Science
Lead throughout the project, took over as Project Lead for the last four months (March-June 2015)
to ensure that both the Living Shorelines Day at the Port Royal Sound Maritime Center and the
final project report (presented here) were completed on schedule. The builds at the Port Royal
22
Sound Maritime Center were possible in terms of budget and resources as a result of diligent fiscal
responsibility throughout the project, leaving unexpected funds available for additional reefs.
3. Sharing your work with the Reserves and NOAA.
January 10th 2013 – A local presentation was made to the Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club
by Collaboration Lead Blaik Keppler & Project Lead Dr. John Leffler emphasizing the intended
user-driven nature of the work.
February 1st 2013 – “Edisto Island Preservation Alliance (EIPA) Leads Local Effort in Restoration
of Natural Barriers.” The Edisto News (local newspaper).
February 13th 2013 – “Involving citizens in community-based restoration activities in the ACE
Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve.” Michael Hodges. Beaufort Sail and Power
Squadron.
February 18th-20th 2013 – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want… Or Can You? A
Collaborative Approach to Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration in the ACE Basin NERR, South
Carolina, USA.” Peter Kingsley-Smith, Blaik Keppler, Susan Lovelace, Katheryn Madden & John
Leffler. Social Coast Forum, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
February 19th 2013 – “Involving citizens in community-based restoration activities in the ACE
Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve.” Michael Hodges. Beaufort Greendrinks.
February 24th 2013 – “Adopting a community-based, collaborative science-based, intended userdriven approach to implementing oyster reef restoration within the ACE Basin NERR in South
Carolina, USA.” Peter Kingsley-Smith, Blaik Keppler & John Leffler. Joint meeting of the World
Aquaculture Society and the National Shellfisheries Association in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
March 21st 2013 – “Oyster reef ecology and the value of habitat restoration in South Carolina.”
Beaufort Senior Leadership Environmental Stewardship Meeting.
April 2nd 2013 – “Oyster reefs: a key to the health of South Carolina’s estuaries.” Peter KingsleySmith. Lowcountry Master Naturalists Association.
April 22nd 2013 – “Volunteers Needed to Build Oyster Reefs in Beaufort.” The Island Packet
(local newspaper).
April 26th 2013 – “Volunteers Build Oyster Reef on Lady’s Island.” The Island Packet (local
newspaper).
April 28th 2013 – “Volunteers, SCDNR Build Oyster Reef on Lady’s Island.” Eat, Sleep, Play
Beaufort (http://eatsleepplaybeaufort.com/)
May 17th 2013 – “Whale Branch Middle School Honors Student with Oyster Reef.” WTOC (local
news station).
December 16th-17th 2013 – “Expanding Living Shorelines through Stakeholder-Driven Site
Selections for Intertidal Oyster Reef Building in the ACE Basin NERR, South Carolina.”
Benjamin Stone, Peter Kingsley-Smith, Blaik Keppler & John Leffler. 2013 Southeast Tidal
Creeks Summit, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.
January 18th 2014 – “Oyster reef ecology and the value of habitat restoration in South Carolina.”
Peter Kingsley-Smith. Edisto Island Preservation Alliance.
23
February 22nd 2014 – “First SCORE oyster shell bagging event in Beaufort.” The Island Packet
(local newspaper).
February 23rd 2014 – “Oysters = Reef Material.” The Island Packet (local newspaper).
March 12th 2014 – “Expanding Living Shorelines within the ACE Basin NERR.” Peter KingsleySmith. NOAA USFWS Restoration Webinar Series (broadcast nationally).
March 14th 2014 – “Oyster reefs in South Carolina: their importance and how we can help.” Franke
at Seaside Life Enrichment retirement community in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA.
March 19th-22nd 2014 – “Stakeholder-driven oyster reef restoration in the ACE Basin NERR, South
Carolina, USA using a variety of substrate supplementation techniques.” Amy Fowler, Benjamin
Stone, Blaik Keppler, John Leffler & Peter Kingsley-Smith. International Benthic Ecology
Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. [Poster presentation.]
March 29th-April 2nd 2014 – “Expanding living shorelines in the ACE Basin NERR using a variety
of oyster reef habitat restoration and enhancement techniques.” Peter Kingsley-Smith, Benjamin
Stone, Katherine Luciano, Blaik Keppler & John Leffler. Annual Meeting of the National
Shellfisheries Association, on Jacksonville, Florida, USA. [Poster presentation.]
March 29th-April 2nd 2014 – “Oyster reef restoration using donated and abandoned crab traps in
order to create habitat for finfish and shorebirds in South Carolina, USA.” Benjamin Stone, Chris
Simmons & Peter Kingsley-Smith. Annual Meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association, on
Jacksonville, Florida, USA. [Poster presentation.]
April 22nd 2014 – SCDNR staff prepared a poster for a special briefing session for Senator Sheldon
Whitehouse at the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina at which Applied
Science Lead Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith conversed with the Senator as to the value of these
restoration efforts to both the ACE Basin and its constituents.
May 9th 2014 – “Keep Our Waterways Healthy: Build An Oyster Reef.” Eat, Sleep, Play Beaufort
(http://eatsleepplaybeaufort.com/)
July 10th 2014 – “Volunteers Help Build Oyster Reef in Beaufort.” Beaufort Gazette (video online
of local news station website).
July 27th 2014 – An oyster castle construction event involving volunteers was covered by the local
Beaufort county media: http://www.islandpacket.com/2014/07/27/3230299/photo-building-anoyster-castle.html?sp= /99/257/266/1482/)
August 14th 2014 – Benjamin Stone published an article entitled “Sam’s Point Boat Ramp has a
new oyster reef” for the Lady’s Island Business and Professional Association (LIBPA) newsletter
(http://www.libpa.org/news/pdf/14aug.pdf).
August 2014 – Restoration efforts led by Applied Science Lead Dr. Peter Kingsley-Smith were
featured in the August 2014 issue of Charleston Magazine in an article entitled “Turning the Tides”
(http://charlestonmag.com/features/turning_the_tides). This article led to a letter of appreciation
from US Congressman Mark Sanford; see Appendices)
November 17th-21st 2014 – “Expanding living shorelines through stakeholder-driven site selections
for intertidal oyster reef building in the ACE Basin NERR, South Carolina.” Peter KingsleySmith, Benjamin Stone, Blaik Keppler & John Leffler. National Estuarine Research Reserve
System Annual Meeting, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA.
24
December 10th-13th 2014 – “An alternative roadmap for engaging stakeholders in oyster reef
restoration in the ACE Basin NERR, South Carolina, USA.” Peter Kingsley-Smith, Blaik Keppler
& John Leffler. 16th International Conference on Shellfish Restoration: Restoration in an EverChanging World. Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
December 10th-13th 2014 – “Stakeholder-driven oyster (Crassostrea virginica) restoration in the
ACE Basin, South Carolina.” Jared Hulteen, Michael Hodges, Stephen Czwartacki & John Leffler.
16th International Conference on Shellfish Restoration: Restoration in an Ever-Changing World.
Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
December 10th-13th 2014 – “Establishing oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs as a method to
facilitate the expansion of Spartina alterniflora and combat erosion and habitat loss on dynamic
shorelines.” Michael Hodges, Nancy Hadley, Jared Hulteen & Stephen Czwartacki. 16th
International Conference on Shellfish Restoration: Restoration in an Ever-Changing World.
Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
February 3rd 2015 – “Expanding Living Shorelines Through Volunteer-Driven Restoration”. Jared
Hulteen. Lady’s Island Middle School, Beaufort, South Carolina, USA
February 3rd 2015 – “Expanding Living Shorelines Through Volunteer-Driven Restoration”. Jared
Hulteen. Beaufort High School CREATE Club in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA.
March 22nd-26th 2015 – “Expanding living shorelines through stakeholder-driven site selections
for intertidal oyster reef building in the ACE Basin NERR, South Carolina, USA.” Peter KingsleySmith, Benjamin Stone, Blaik Keppler & John Leffler. 107th National Shellfisheries Association,
Monterey, California, USA. [Poster presentation.]
4. Anything else?
In order to facilitate an increasing investment in living shorelines in South Carolina, in light of a
growing body of literature and research that supports their installation as more beneficial than
hardened vertical shoreline management approaches, the SCDNR is collaborating with the South
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control–Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management (SCDHEC-OCRM) on a proposal to secure further funding from the NERRS Science
Collaborative. SCDHEC-OCRM is charged with permitting all shoreline construction and
alterations. A representative of the office had participated in the earlier workshops that were
integral to the success of this NERRS Science Collaborative project. Currently, OCRM can issue
permits for bulkheads and revetments fairly easily after the shoreline has eroded away into uplands,
but private property owners have a very difficult time getting a permit to construct a living
shoreline to protect the marshes in front of their property. In January 2015 OCRM approached the
ACE Basin NERR through Bethney Ward, the Reserve’s liaison with the Office of Coastal
Management. OCRM requested the principals from this project, through the ACE Basin NERR
and the SCDNR, to provide scientific expertise and the necessary research that will give OCRM
the scientific foundation necessary to develop new regulations that will encourage living shoreline
development long before it becomes necessary to employ hardened structures. It also recognizes
that the intertidal oyster reefs of South Carolina will grow higher with rising sea levels and will
therefore protect the coastal marshes from some of the anticipated erosional impacts of climate
change. The project team for this new NERRS Science Collaborative proposal recently completed
the final panel review and wait, optimistically, for the announcement of funding awards in August
of this year. If successful, this funding would support a retrospective meta-analysis of living
25
shorelines constructed over the past decade together with gap analysis to identify sites with
characteristics not previously investigated, as past projects were focused on optimizing oyster
settlement and growth and were not focused on addressing shoreline erosion, particularly at sites
where private property owners are likely to have interests in adopting living shorelines as a viable
alternative to hardened vertical structures such as bulkheads.
5. Appendices
Appendix I. Literature cited
Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan
2011-2016. (2011): http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/NERR/pdf/ACEMP11-16.pdf
ASMFC (2007). The importance of habitat created by shellfish and shell beds along the Atlantic
Coast of the U.S. Prepared by Coen, L. D. & Grizzle, R., with contributions by Lowery, J. &
Paynter, K. T. Jr. 108pp.
ASMFC (2010). Living Shorelines: Impacts of erosion control strategies on coastal habitats.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Habitat Management Series #10. J.C. ThomasBlate, editor. 62 pp.
Bahr, L.M. & Lanier, W.P. (1981). The ecology of intertidal oyster reefs of the South Atlantic
Coast: a community profile. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Program FWS/OBS/-81/15. 105pp.
Burrell, V.G. Jr. (1986). Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of
coastal fishes and invertebrates (South Atlantic) – American oyster. U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Biological Report 82 (11.57), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TR-EL-82-4, 17 pp.
Coen, L.D. & Luckenbach, M.W. (2000). Developing success criteria and goals for evaluating
oyster reef restoration: ecological function or resource exploitation? Ecological Engineering
15:323-343.
Dame, R., Bushek, D. & Prins, T. (2001). Benthic suspension feeders as determinants of
ecosystem structure and function in shallow coastal waters. In: Reise, K., editor. Ecological
comparisons of sedimentary shores. Springer-Verlag, Germany. Ecological Studies 151:11-37.
DeBlieu, J., Beck, M., Dorfman, D. & Ertel, P. (2005). Conservation in the Carolinian Ecoregion:
An Ecoregional Assessment. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
Gutiérrez, J.L., Jones, C.G., Strayer, D.L. & Iribarne, O.O. (2003). Mollusks as ecosystem
engineers: the role of shell production in aquatic habitats. Oikos 101:79-90.
Karl, T.R., Melillo, J.M. & Peterson, T.C. (eds.) (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the
United States. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 189 pp.
Kennish, M.J. (2002). Impacts of motorized watercraft on shallow estuarine and coastal marine
environments. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue 37:1-202.
Kohlsaat, T., Quattro, L. & Rinehart, J. (2005). South Carolina Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy, 2005-2010. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Columbia,
South Carolina (http://www.dnr.sc.gov/cwcs).
Luckenbach, M.W., Coen, L.D., Ross, P.G. Jr. & Stephen, J.A. (2005). Oyster Reef Habitat
Restoration: Relationships between oyster abundance and community development. Journal of
Coastal Research 40:64-78.
26
Meyer, D.L., Townsend, E.C. & Thayer, G.W. (1997). Stabilization and erosion control value of
oyster cultch for intertidal marsh. Restoration Ecology 5:93-99.
National Estuarine Research Reserve System 2001-2016 Strategic
http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov/Doc/PDF/Background/StrategicPlan2011.pdf
Plan.
(2011).
Peterson, C.H., Grabowski, J.H. & Powers, S.P. (2003). Estimated enhancement of fish production
resulting from restoring oyster reef habitat: quantitative valuation. Marine Ecology Progress
Series 264:251-256.
Plunket, J.T. & La Peyre, M.K. (2005). Comparison of finfish assemblages at clutched shell
bottoms and mud bottoms in Barataria Bay, LA. Bulletin of Marine Science 77:155-164.Piazza et
al., 2005
Porter, E.T., Cornwell, J.C., Sanford, L.P. & Newell, R.I.E. (2004). Effect of oysters, Crassostrea
virginica and bottom shear velocity on benthic-pelagic coupling and estuarine water quality.
Marine Ecology Progress Series 271:61-75.
SAFMC (2009). Fishery Ecosystem Plan. Volume II: South Atlantic Habitats and Species.
Chapter 3.2. Estuarine / inshore systems. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
27
Appendix II. Data, Results and Products.
Figure A1. Front cover of a project summary handout distributed to participants in the reefbuilding events at the Port Royal Sound Maritime Center on May 16th 2015. The reverse (not
shown here) was of a modified version of Figure 1 to show stakeholders where reefs had been
created.
28
Figure A2. Tray Recruitment in Year 1 (2013-2014)
Abundance of oysters in recruitment trays deployed
statewide, including those in the ACE Basin (red) 20132014
Average Oysters/ m2 + 1SE
(n=3 except Horlbeck Creek, Wando River, Morgan River, Trask Landing,
Battery Creek,
S. Edisto, Coosaw, Winyah Bay and Coast Gaurd Station)
20000
18000
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Sites
Statewide Average Oyster Density (per m2): 5934 + 1223 (SE)
ACE Basin NERR Average Oyster Density (per m2): 9584 + 1054 (SE)
29
Figure A3. Tray Recruitment in Year 2 (2014-2015)
Abundance of oysters in recruitment trays deployed statewide,
including those in the ACE Basin (red) 2014-2015
(n=3 except Coosaw River, Hunting Island, Winyah Bay, Wando River)
18000
Average oysters/m2 + 1SE
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Sites
2
Statewide Average Oyster Density (per m ): 8312 + 1540 (SE)
ACE Basin NERR Average Oyster Density (per m2): 8844 + 2038 (SE)
30
Figure A4. Oyster recruitment to castle reefs built in Year 1.
5,000
4,500
Average Oysters/m2
4,000
3,500
3,000
Beaufort River
2,500
Lucy Point Creek
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Figure A5. Oyster recruitment to crab trap-based reefs built in Year 1
1,600
1,400
Average Oysters/m2
1,200
1,000
Big Bay Creek
800
Russell Creek
600
400
200
0
31
Table A1. One-year post-deployment monitoring data for bagged shell reefs built in Year 1.
Site Name (#)
Big Bay Creek (6)
Fenwick Cut (2)
Harbor River (9)
Lucy Point (12)
Scott Creek (11)
2013 NERR Averages
2013 Statewide
Averages
AVG
Count/m2
8,436
1,352
5,115
3,232
2,896
4,206
AVG Count
STDERR/m2
4,442
354
582
118
782
1,256
AVG
Size
25.8
25.9
22.9
29.1
27.3
26.2
Size
STDERR
4.05
1.72
0.42
1.22
2.17
1.92
5,044
1,497
22.5
1.37
Year
Constructed
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
Table A2. One-year post-deployment monitoring data for bagged shell reefs built in Year 2.
Site Name (#)
Factory Creek (1)
Beaufort River (33)
Big Bay Creek (6)
Ashepoo-Coosaw
Cutoff (21)
Coosaw River (17)
Dawhoo Cut (15)
Jenkins Creek (29)
2014 NERR Averages
2014 Statewide
Averages
AVG
Count/m2
2,387
1,472
4,987
AVG Count
STDERR/m2
831
447
1,131
AVG
Size
16.7
28.6
22.0
Size
STDERR
0.69
2.25
1.51
Year
Constructed
2014
2014
2014
4,237
994
17.7
1.07
2014
9,085
848
1,677
3,169
2,241
409
60
769
22.4
23.3
29.1
23.9
1.07
1.49
1.80
1.61
2014
2014
2014
4,837
768
21.1
1.32
Table A3. One-year post-deployment monitoring data for loose shell reefs built in Year 1.
Site Name (#)
Beaufort River (4)
Beaufort River (7)
Harbor River (9)
Morgan River (10)
2013 NERR Averages
2013 Statewide
Averages
AVG
AVG Count
2
Count/m STDERR/m2
948
261
133
80
3,556
1,323
3,659
306
2,074
493
2,340
443
32
AVG
Size
35.0
34.3
27.0
28.2
31.1
Size
STDERR
0.77
1.58
0.47
3.04
1.47
22.3
0.96
Year
Constructed
2013
2013
2013
2013
Table A4. One-year post-deployment monitoring data for loose shell reefs built in Year 2.
Site Name (#)
South Edisto (19)
South Edisto (20)
St. Pierre Creek (25)
Coosaw River (26)
Dawhoo River (27)
Dawhoo River (28)
2014 NERR Averages
2014 Statewide
Averages
AVG
Count/m2
4,668
2,807
2,959
3,891
2,153
2,565
3,174
AVG Count
STDERR/m2
667
426
517
156
959
405
522
AVG
Size
23.5
17.1
25.5
25.8
17.8
22.4
22.0
Size
STDERR
2.84
0.11
1.00
2.78
0.49
0.89
1.35
3,657
616
20.6
1.38
Year
Constructed
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
Table A5. Summary of acreage retention determinations generated by comparing initial
footprints with planting acreage one-year after planting for all loose shell reefs constructed in
Year 1 (2013) and Year 2 (2014). All acreages were mapped using a Trimble sub-meter
resolution GPS unit.
Site name (#)
Year Planted
Beaufort River
(4)
Beaufort River
(4)
Beaufort River
(7)
Harbor River (9)
Morgan River
(10)
S. Edisto River
(19)
S. Edisto River
(20)
S. Edisto River
(23)
St. Pierre Creek
(25)
Coosaw River
(26)
Dawhoo River
(27)
Dawhoo River
(28)
2013
Initial
Footprint
Acreage
0.35
2013
0.32
0.34
105%
2013
0.16
0.21
131%
2013
2013
0.15
0.49
0.11
0.47
75%
95%
2014
0.34
Not Measured
N/A
2014
0.24
0.18
75%
2014
0.16
0.22
138/%
2014
0.36
Not Measured
N/A
2014
0.14
Not Measured
N/A
2014
0.11
0.08
73%
2014
0.13
0.08
62%
33
1 Year Post
Planting
Acreage
0.25
Acreage
Retention
72%
Table A6. One-year post-construction monitoring data for oyster castle reefs built in Year 1.
Site Name (#)
Beaufort River (3)
Lucy Point Creek (12)
AVG
Count/m2
2,947
1,724
AVG Count STDERR/m2
1,751
686
AVG Size
(mm)
17.27
13.85
Size
STDERR
8.35
5.19
Table A7. One-year post-construction monitoring data for crab trap-based reefs built in Year 1.
Site Name (#)
Big Bay Creek (6)
Russell Creek (13)
AVG
Count/m2
844
459
AVG Count STDERR/m2
543
395
34
AVG Size
(mm)
17.19
21.26
Size
STDERR
2.46
5.2
Appendix III. Letters of recognition from State Congressman Mark Sanford.
35
36