Questions. Answers.

Billion Oyster Project's flagship goal is to restore one billion oysters and engage one million students by 2030. The organization sees restoration and education as interconnected systems required to create long-term ecological recovery in New York Harbor.

"Get on the Water" reflects Billion Oyster Project's belief that people protect what they feel connected to. The organization works to reconnect New Yorkers to New York Harbor through restoration, field science, public programming, and education because long-term ecological recovery depends on public engagement and stewardship.

Oyster reefs provide critical ecological benefits. They create habitat for marine life, strengthen shorelines against erosion and wave energy, and support biodiversity throughout the estuary. Historically, oysters helped shape one of the most productive estuaries in the world, and restoring them is part of rebuilding the harbor's long-term ecological resilience.

Oysters are a foundational species in estuarine ecosystems. Oyster reefs help create habitat, support biodiversity, stabilize shorelines, and improve overall ecosystem health. New York Harbor was once home to massive oyster reef systems, but overharvesting, pollution, and development caused those reefs to disappear over time. Billion Oyster Project is working to restore oysters at a scale large enough to help the harbor function as a living ecosystem again.

Billion Oyster Project is a nonprofit restoring oyster reefs across New York Harbor through public education initiatives. The organization combines large-scale ecological restoration with place-based education to help rebuild the harbor's ecological foundation while reconnecting New Yorkers to the water that shaped the city.

Billion Oyster Project combines large-scale oyster restoration with public education and cultural engagement. The organization believes ecological restoration only lasts when people feel connected to it, which is why restoration and education are scaled together across New York City.

Restoration sites are selected using environmental monitoring, hydrodynamic modeling, biodiversity studies, and long-term scientific analysis. Billion Oyster Project works with scientific partners to understand where oysters are most likely to survive, reproduce, and contribute to harbor-wide reef connectivity.

Not yet. Monitoring shows oysters are reproducing throughout New York Harbor, but mortality still outpaces recruitment in many locations. Billion Oyster Project is focused on scaling restoration to create larger, connected reef systems capable of sustaining themselves long-term.

Yes. Monitoring efforts have documented thousands of fish, crabs, shrimp, and other marine organisms associated with restoration sites across the harbor. Oyster reefs create habitat that supports broader ecosystem recovery over time.

Billion Oyster Project has recycled more than 3.1 million pounds of oyster shell through partnerships with more than 75 oyster bars and seafood restaurants across New York City.

Yes. Through partnerships with Harbor School and workforce development opportunities, students gain exposure to careers in marine science, restoration, aquaculture, climate resilience, and waterfront industries.

Urban Assembly New York Harbor School is a public high school on Governors Island where Billion Oyster Project began. The school offers career and technical education programs connected to marine science, aquaculture, vessel operations, diving, ocean engineering, marine policy, and waterfront industries.

Place-based learning connects education directly to the local environment and community surrounding students. At Billion Oyster Project, this means using New York Harbor as a living classroom where students engage with science through direct experience and real-world environmental systems.

The organization provides professional learning workshops, curriculum resources, outdoor teaching training, Oyster Research Tank support, and CTLE-certified educator programs designed to help teachers bring harbor science into their classrooms.

Oyster Research Stations are underwater structures installed throughout New York Harbor that support oysters and marine life. Students and educators use the stations to monitor biodiversity, oyster growth, and ecosystem health while contributing data directly to restoration efforts.