Launched in August 2024, our Oyster Shell Recycling Program brings together local restaurants, volunteers, and community partners across the Pensacola and Perdido Bay area to give oyster shells a second life. Instead of ending up in landfills, shucked oyster shells are collected and returned to our local waters, where they provide the foundation for new oyster reefs and help restore healthy bay ecosystems.
Through the Oyster Alliance Program, we're working together to protect and strengthen the waterways that make our region special. Every shell recycled helps improve water quality, create habitat for fish and wildlife, and support the recovery of native oyster populations. By partnering with local businesses and engaging our community, we're investing in the long-term environmental and economic health of Pensacola and Perdido Bay, one shell at a time.
OysterCorps, a nationally recognized Conservation Corps Program led by Franklin’s Promise Coalition, plays a key role in this initiative. As a dual environmental restoration and workforce training initiative, the program engages local youth in coastal restoration and resilience projects such as oyster habitat, seagrass, dune systems, and tidal marsh restoration. At the same time, Corps members gain on-the-job training, industry certifications, academic programming, leadership skills, and support to become environmental stewards.
As a grant subawardee, OysterCorps will work alongside PPBEP to manage oyster shell collection from participating restaurants, support outreach and oyster monitoring, and serve as restoration practitioners for upcoming restoration projects.
Learn more about how your recycled shells are being used in oyster restoration projects in Pensacola Bay.
A Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) is a hanging oyster habitat made from recycled oyster shells and marine-friendly rope, suspended from docks or other structures where baby oysters naturally settle and grow. These living reefs help restore oyster populations, improve water quality, and create habitat for the fish and wildlife that depend on oysters.”
Ready to bring your dock to life? Fill out this interest form to add a vertical oyster garden to your dock or marine structure!
Interested in becoming a restaurant partner or want more information? Please contact Paige Lansky at [email protected] or (850) 595-2371.
Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities to help build Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) and oyster reefs. Subscribe to our volunteer newsletter to stay in the loop and join our Volunteer Portal for the most up to date information.
The Gulf of Mexico Community-based Oyster Shell Recycling and Reef Restoration Network, led by Restore America’s Estuaries, unites organizations across the Gulf Coast to advance oyster shell recycling and restoration efforts. Over the next two years, PPBEP will collaborate with partners to revitalize the local Oyster Shell Recycling Program. This funding will facilitate the collection of recycled oyster shells from participating restaurants, which will be used in coastal restoration projects in Pensacola and Perdido Bays.
