ATLANTA, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) Five Star Restoration Program, project partners
CDR Environmental Specialists Inc., Georgia Power, Honeywell, Jekyll Island
Authority and the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service are
currently working together to rehabilitate approximately 2,640 square feet
of oyster habitat along 1/4 mile of Clam Creek, a small creek located on
the north end of Jekyll Island.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO)
CDR Environmental Specialists Inc. received a $20K Five Star Challenge
Grant to restore the oyster habitat as a result of Southern Company's
recent $1.2 million five-year partnership with the Five Star Restoration
Program. The awarded grant will fund planned project initiatives to promote
community awareness about the importance of oyster shell recycling and the
critical function that oysters serve in the coastal region ecosystem.
"Oysters are a very important species in the coastal region of our
state," said Chuck Huling, Vice President, Environmental Affairs at Georgia
Power. "We're looking forward to working on this project to show how
re-establishing the oyster population can aid in revitalizing the health of
the coastal environment."
The revitalization project began in September and should be completed
by December 2007.
The first phase of this project involves the establishment of an oyster
shell collection center for use by the community to recycle oyster shells.
The recycled oyster shells will then be bagged and used to construct an
oyster reef in Clam Creek.
The final phase of the project will monitor water quality and
biological productivity associated with the new oyster reef.
Community volunteer opportunities to assist in oyster shell bagging and
oyster reef planting will be available in spring 2007. For more information
about this project and future volunteer opportunities, please call Erica
LeMoine with the Marine Extension Service's community-based GEORGIA
(Generating Enhanced Oyster Reefs in Georgia's Inshore Areas) program at
(912) 598-2348.
The Five Star Restoration Program is a national initiative providing
financial and technical support to wetland, riparian and coastal habitat
restoration projects. It brings together citizen groups, corporations,
students, landowners, youth conservation corps, and local, state and
federal government agencies to build diverse partnerships and foster local
natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training
activities.
SOURCE Georgia Power
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Related links:
http://www.georgiapower.com/
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Konswello Monroe of Georgia Power,
+1-404-506-7676, or +1-800-282-1696, or corpcomm@georgiapower.com
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