Stockton University’s New Mill Creek Oyster Restoration Reef

OCSCD continues to further our efforts on the Sustainable Practices for Aquaculture Resource Conservation grant project (SPARC). This past month District Erosion Control Specialist Kristin Adams joined Dr. Christine Thompson and Steve Evert from the Stockton University Marine Field Station as they witnessed the very first shell planting of Stockton University’s second oyster reef restoration site, the Mill Creek Reef.

2020 SPARC Project – A Year in Review

(June, 2021) The main goal of SPARC was to initiate conservation planning and technical assistance training for New Jersey coastal bays that emphasizes the natural resource needs and concerns of regional shellfish aquaculture producers and to provide access to various opportunities.  OCSCD used this grant as an initial and necessary first step in establishing a regional … Read more

OCSCD Awarded a Second Year of Funding

(May, 2021) The Ocean County Soil Conservation District was awarded a second year of funding through a technical assistance grant from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). This is the fourth year of the NACD technical assistance grant program, which was created with funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation … Read more

Farmers from local aquaculture operations showcase oyster farming methods

Boots in the Water (September, 2020) Ocean County Soil Conservation District now has “boots in the water” working with local shellfish farmers to gain a better understanding of their specific natural resource concerns. OCSCD Erosion Control Specialist, Kristin Adams, recently visited two different aquaculture operations to learn more about oyster farming from industry professionals. Raceway … Read more

Subaqueous Soil Sampling in the Barnegat Bay September 2020

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil and Plant Science Division is responsible for surveying, mapping and interpreting soils throughout the entire country. The Coastal Zone Soil Survey (CZSS) Team focuses its efforts on improving the soil survey along the coastal zone from New England to the Gulf Coast of Texas. This includes the … Read more