Vertical Oyster Gardens to be Installed in Flagler County

The Flagler County government is receiving vertical oyster gardens for three locations within the county, according to an announcement on Thursday. The resources are being donated by Oysters for My Neighborhood, a group which is working to add these gardens along the Intracoastal Waterway. The three chosen locations are the Moody Boat Launch in Flagler Beach, Herschel King park in Palm Coast, and Bings Landing in the Hammock. According to the University of Florida, vertical oyster gardens (VOGs) improve local marine ecosystems in a number of ways. They provide habitats for juvenile or larvae oysters to develop, and filter the water they live in to make it cleaner overall. Cleaner water allows more sunlight to reach seagrasses on the bottom, which benefits a variety of marine life including the endangered West Indian manatee. In addition to feeding and providing shelter for many organisms, seagrass also captures carbon to counteract recent increases in water acidity. The gardens themselves are made out of recycled oyster shells from local restaurants. These are strung together on a rope or wire and hung underwater from a dock or seawall. Some of Flagler County's locations can sustain potentially dozens of gardens. "As an example, the Hershel King dock is 115 feet long. We space VOGs two feet apart give or take," said Chuck Gleichmann, an advocate for vertical oyster gardens. "This dock should take somewhere between 55 and 60. A full-grown oyster can filter 50 gallons of water per day. A string of oyster shells creates a home for new oysters and also creates habitat for others." The precise number of gardens installed will become clear following surveying next week by the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida. Installation of the VOGs should take place around the middle of June. "This is a really great project," added Interim County Administrator Adam Mengel, a longtime fan of vertical oyster gardens. "These gardens both clean the water and create habitat for other creatures - small crabs and shrimp. This is a big win for our conservation efforts and our community. Any time we partner with a group like 'Oysters for My Neighborhood' that also expands their visibility and reach, it is a win any way you look at it."