Plastic-free Restored Habitats

This project aims to address the environmental problems caused by plastic use in coastal habitat restoration and provide a science-based approach to drive transformative change. Field and laboratory experiments will assess traditionally-used plastic versus emerging plastic-free materials for performance, longevity, and environmental impacts. The sites for the project will be in St. Charles Bay in the Mission-Aransas Estuary on the Gulf Coast of Texas near Rockport and Mosquito Lagoon on the East Coast of Florida in the Indian River Lagoon system.

The project aims to assess the effectiveness of plastic-free alternatives to restore intertidal oyster reefs in coastal environments. It also seeks to quantify any unintended consequences of using polyethylene plastic compared to non-plastic materials in restoration efforts.

A key component of the three-year project involves community engagement, ensuring the active participation of local groups and stakeholders to support broader adoption of environmental restoration practices. Engagement will target local schools, community centers and other organizations affected by marine debris, and will include shareable educational materials along with hands-on training. The project team will work with multiple partners to ensure broad dissemination of project information and resources.  

Additional goals will be to involve students and community members in oyster reef restoration projects, and to communicate with restoration practitioners across the Gulf to stimulate a large-scale shift away from using plastic materials in restoration efforts.