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Christchurch School’s Will Smiley is pictured guiding his students through the creation of two oyster reefs that will make Urbanna Creek an ideal habitat for fish, crabs, underwater grasses and of course, MORE OYSTERS TOO!
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Will Smiley, a science teacher at Christchurch School, had a vision. He saw Urbanna Creek, which is currently condemned, as a little version of Chesapeake Bay, albeit one not in the best health. Water clarity was down due to algae and sediment. There were few underwater grasses and elevated nutrient pollution threatened the bay.
Naturally, as an Urbanna resident, he saw oysters as the solution because the creek had, historically, provided habitat for the bivalves. Marshalling nine agencies and businesses to work with his students, as well as public school students, Smiley envisioned constructing reefs in the creek, using recycled oyster shells on which eight million baby oysters—known as spat—could be placed to grow.
“My objective was to have students involved as much as possible,” Smiley says of the 10-foot by 60-foot reef they’re building. “So far, we’ve put 500 bushels of spat on top of the shells and we hope to put 750 more.”
An adult oyster can filter two gallons of water an hour, which helps remove sediment and algae. Cleaner water means underwater plants can grow, providing habitat for fish and crabs, which, in turn, remove nitrogen, a major polluter of the creek and bay.
“We tested the creek’s water this year and compared it to last year’s numbers,” he says. “There was improvement, positive results, and students need to study something good for a change.” The initiative teaches students as well as the community that there’s a very tangible way to bring about changes to their creek.
The oysters currently being raised aren’t edible, but they are cleaning the water, promoting growth along the shoreline, and encouraging fish to return.
Various groups are supporting the project, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Friends of the Rappahannock, and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, which are donating their services to analyze the water samples taken as part of the water quality monitoring efforts, among others.
“One thing about the grant we got for this is that it involves a lot of stakeholders,” says Heyman, who is also chairman of the nonprofit Urbanna Oyster Festival, which is a partner in the venture. “Lots of players are involved in the same little ecosystem.” It’s truly a collaborative project.
Smiley wants to apply for more grant money to build additional reefs and plant more oysters. He believes that in Middlesex County, it’s all about people, planet, and product.
“Our job is to jumpstart the ecosystem,” Smiley says. “Reefs are the focus of the whole project. If we can cross the threshold, Mother Nature will take over.”
Learn more at restoreurbannacreek.com.
