In 2008, The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina began efforts to restore oyster reefs along the South Carolina coastline. I was hired by the organization to document the process of rebuilding the reefs. The effort, which is being led by Joy Brown -TNC's Marine Restoration Specialist - starts with building structures called oyster castles along the edges of Spartina Marshes. Much of the work of this 'test-phase of the process has been conducted on Jeremy Island near McClellanville, South Carolina. After only five months, the oyster castles were covered in new oysters- an encouraging sign. Approximately 130 different species depend on the oyster reefs for food and protection.

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