ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — In Volusia and Flagler counties, there’s an initiative that’s getting a lot of attention out on the water.
It’s called the Vertical Oyster Gardens Initiative.
It started in 2024, and it’s been growing in popularity on the coast.
Right now, about 1,500 vertical oyster gardens are deployed in Volusia and Flagler counties.
Chuck Gleichmann, founder of The Vertical Oyster Gardens Initiative, wanted to not only see nature in his backyard but also to protect it.
“This is what one looks like. It’s not the prettiest thing in the world. There are all types of little creatures in here,” Gleichmann said.
A vertical oyster garden is made from recycled oyster shells from local restaurants and suspended from docks to create a habitat for juvenile oysters.
“This is the beginning of an oyster. A mature oyster, they can filter about 50 gallons of water a day per oyster,” Gleichmann said.
Gleichmann reiterates that more oysters mean a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone.
“That’s an awful, awful amount of water,” he said.
That number is something one nonprofit can’t overlook.
“A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Over a year or two years, these vertical oyster gardens can start to recruit upwards of 50 to 100-plus oysters. It will create a habitat for a number of microscopic marine species and juvenile marine species, as well as maintaining water quality through the oyster’s feeding strategy,” Logan Kennovin, with Coastal Conservation Association Florida, said.
Coastal Conservation Association Florida is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of Florida’s marine resources.
They provide Gleichmann with the shells, but only after the shells go through a strict process.
“The shells must be quarantined out in the elements and in the sunlight for six months to kill off any bacteria. They filter out all the harmful nutrients like the excess phosphorus and nitrogen that can actually exacerbate the algae blooms that happen throughout the Indian River Lagoon and Halifax River,” Kennovin said.
For Gleichmann, he finds this work rewarding and says participation is key to conservation.
“We would love that opportunity to be able to talk with people and continue to grow this thing,” he said.
If you’d like to get involved with the initiative and learn how to get your hands on a vertical oyster garden for free, visit the Vertical Oyster Gardens Initiative website.
Gleichmann says his goal this year is to have 2,000 vertical oyster gardens deployed in Volusia and Flagler counties.
The Coastal Conservation Association of Florida invests in the expansion of vertical oyster gardens to empower homeowners to clean up their own backyards.
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