2024 Oyster Restoration Symposium

Oyster restoration organizations from across the country are invited for a day of collaboration and connecting. Join us to talk about your organization, share best practices, and discover future partnerships.

Friday October 25th

Registration Starts at 8:00AM

9:00AM - 4:30PM

New England Aquarium, Boston Ma 

Details

When

Welcome reception:

Thursday, October 24th | 6-8PM at ROW 34

Symposium:

Friday October 25th | 9:00AM - 4:30PM

Where

New England Aquarium, Boston Ma 

Travel Information

Directions and parking information

Click here for accommodation information

 

Program Information

8:00 - 9:00 AM Registration 
9:00 - 10:00 AM Welcome and Guest Speaker - Dr. Rachel Smith (UC - Santa Barbara)
10:00 - 10:15 AM Break
10:15 - 11:15 AM Round Table #1 

Topics

  1. Building Capacity
    - Public education initiatives
    - Advancing literacy

  2. Research and Monitoring
    - Best practices for reef restoration 
    - Alternative reef structures  

  3. Community Engagement through Citizen Science

  4. Finding Funding Opportunities
    - Government
    - Sponsorship
    - Grants
    - Individual donations 

  5. Partnering with Local Governments 

11:15 - 11:30 Wrap Up
11:30 - 12:30 PM Lunch
12:30 - 2:00 PM Round Table #2 - Deeper Dive into topics from morning session
2:00 - 2:30 PM Report Out
2:30 - 2:45 PM Break
2:45 - 3:45 PM Guest Speaker and Closing Remarks
3:45 - 4:30 PM Reception

 

Meet Our Guest Speakers

Steve Kirk - coastal program director for TNC

Steve Kirk is the coastal program director for The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. He is responsible for leading statewide and regional coastal conservation work for TNC which includes advancing the more widespread adoption of nature-based solutions. His current work is focused on restorative aquaculture, nearshore habitat restoration, farmer-supported restoration and living shorelines. Steve participates in many boards including the MA Shellfish Advisory Panel, sits on the management committee of the MassBays National Estuary Partnership, and participates in the MA Aquaculture Association research guidance committee. Before joining TNC, Steve spent his professional life working on the water as an oyster farmer, fisheries researcher, and captain of tugboats and tall ships and holds a USCG 500 Ton Oceans captain license. He earned a Masters in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and a B.A. in Geography from the University of Vermont. His spare time is spent on the water and at the Buzzards Bay shoreline with his family.

Rachel S. Smith, Ph.D. 

Dr. Rachel Smith is a marine ecologist who studies the loss and recovery of coastal foundation species. Working in salt marshes, kelp forests, and oyster reefs, she applies principles of community ecology to better understand how to restore and manage these valuable coastal ecosystems. Currently an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute, Rachel received her PhD in Ecology from the University of Georgia (2019). Next, she worked as a NatureNet Science Fellow with the University of Virginia and the Nature Conservancy to optimize oyster restoration efforts in coastal Virginia using long-term monitoring data and meta-analysis. As a Co-Principal Investigator with the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Mitigation Monitoring Program, she now co-leads the long-term monitoring and adaptive management of a 150-acre coastal wetland restoration project and a 373-acre offshore artificial reef in Southern California.

Who’s Coming

Activities around Boston

Click here for fun activities to do around Boston during your stay



Questions? Contact Liv Woods, Executive Director at Mass Oyster Project