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How Do Oysters Build Their Reefs?

Activity

Trying Desigining Your Own!

Design and engineer your own oyster reef! What materials will you use? You can use rocks, broken pots, bricks, cement or other hard surfaces. Make sure water flows through your reef to feed your oysters! How will you monitor your reef? How will you prevent predators from getting to your oysters? Here’s a start, oysters prefer bumpy surfaces with lots of cracks for their babies to anchor on and hide in!

Science Seed

Oysters are important because they filter nutrients and other compounds from the water, keeping the water clean and healthy. A single oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water a day! Oysters build underwater reefs that provide homes for hundreds of marine species, such as fish, while also protecting the coastline from storms, just like coral reefs do. Texas oyster reefs are getting a major boost as part of a broader effort to restore reefs across the Gulf and support fisheries. For example in the Mission-Aransas Estuary, this investment will help rebuild damaged reefs, improving water quality, marine habitats, and coastal resilience. To learn more about conserving these important species, scientists create and monitor experimental oyster reefs.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

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join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.