Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling Program

05/20/2026

We are getting excited for this year’s “planting” and shell research. Almost 12 million larvae were added to the tanks yesterday and they are protected with new pool covers to help with temperature regulation. Our sign up for the week of June 8 is filling fast. Secure your spot now!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4BABA72DA31-64129613-2026

05/09/2026

What a day! Under mostly blue skies and gentle breezes, this awesome crew of volunteers moved 500 bags of recycled, dredged, shuck house, and quarry fossil oyster shells into the spat tanks. We also placed some tetrahedrons made by VCU School of Engineering students for spat setting research.

Thanks to our partners J&W Seafood - Gourmet Market and 3 Hands Oyster Company for sharing space with us again this year. Thanks to Toadfish for their support. Thanks to master naturalists from four Virginia Master Naturalist Program chapters and for all our friends who showed up to help today!

Watch for upcoming announcements about larvae setting and spat planting coming soon. Join us in this beautiful spot to help replenish native oysters in Virginia waters!

05/07/2026

We’ve had some last minute cancellations for Saturday’s oyster shell stacking on Gwynn’s Island. See all the details and sign up at

We are preparing for oyster replenishment /restoration and research work this summer and we need your help to set up the tanks on Gwynn's Island, 391 Risby Town Rd., Gwynn, VA 23066 on Saturday, May 9 from 10am-3pm. Volunteers will help unload bags of dry shell from pallets, move the bags, and load....

05/03/2026

Plumbing ready ✔️ Tanks cleaned ✔️ Next weekend, with YOUR help, we will load the tanks with all the shells collected by our volunteers and we’ll be ready for larvae and planting in June. Watch for the event sign up for next Saturday or use this link to sign up now: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4BABA72DA31-63907137-2026 #/

04/30/2026

Thanks to Ej Wade Construction and driver Brandon who safely loaded and delivered pallets of oyster shells to Gwynn’s Island today. Things are coming together for a season on the water!

04/28/2026

And so it begins! Our summer season is underway with the delivery of bags of shell from our Charlottesville volunteers and partners at Rivanna Solid Waste Authority. Stay tuned for more activities and dates of volunteer events on Gwynn’s Island this summer.

04/18/2026

A mighty group today! They wrapped all of the pallets that we’ll need for the work on Gwynn’s Island this summer and bagged some dredged shells for the research counts. Stay tuned for the summer island dates - coming soon!

03/20/2026

Spring cleaning at the oyster shell pile! Thank you Herman Schlimmer for hauling away piles of old pallets and table parts.

03/18/2026

We finally got our official signs placed by the oyster shell recycling dumpsters in Deltaville and Lancaster. Left the bright orange “no trash” signs to be really clear! Thanks to our friend Ben Smith for his help with the Lancaster location.

Middlesex County, Virginia Lancaster County, Virginia

03/14/2026

We were thrilled to be able to share our oyster restoration and research efforts with Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan!