GREEN: Gardener Research Extension Network
What is GREEN?
GREEN (Gardener Research Extension Network) is a cooperation between ABC and volunteer noncommercial oyster gardeners. GREEN's objective is to promote and coordinate test sites with cooperating gardeners for Center projects. Through GREEN, ABC is able to put test strains through field trials to determine their relative performance over a wide range of environments. GREEN also allows area college and school students to actually participate in real science, by involving them as student researchers.How does GREEN work?
ABC needs to prove each new oyster strain that comes out of our hatcheries. In the past, this has meant searching for suitable test sites. GREEN puts together researchers and participating gardeners. With over 1,000 gardeners in the Bay, ABC scientists are able to choose sites that best fit their needs, and gardeners are able to learn first-hand about ABC research. This means they are better informed about which oysters are the best to grow at their own sites. It also allows both scientist and gardener to share information about gardening techniques and oyster care and handling. Some of these projects involve student researchers who assist may ABC scientists or even direct their own projects under ABC guidance.How do ABC scientists know which gardening sites to select?
GREEN, along with the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA), and support from the Virginia Environmental Endowment and the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund (the "Friends of the Bay" license plates) has developed the CHesapeake Oyster Monitoring Project (CHOMP). This database collects information about the oyster growth and conditions from oyster gardeners gardening sites around the Bay. From this information, ABC scientist can best determine which sites are appropriate for their experiments. General information about the growth and conditions of an area are also available to the general public. In this way, students, scientists, and even potential new oyster gardeners can see how oysters do in their area.What are some current GREEN projects?
Currently, there are four GREEN projects underway at more than 15 sites.
PG Project÷Based in the Corratoman River, this project involves the care of select oyster families being used in ABC molecular genetics research. 50/50 CROSBreed÷This is a study of the relative fitness of sibling diploid and triploid oysters. Luttrell Tadlock, a William and Mary undergraduate and Melissa Keller, a Mathews High School senior are comparing the growth, condition, and survival of oysters at 11 sites from the James to the Potomac Rivers. Natural "Dermo" Resistance Project (NDR)÷An intense study of several putative resistant wild stocks, this project involves two Chesapeake sites, and two Louisiana sites. Oyster Tagging Project÷This project, conducted by two Chesapeake Bay Governorís School students, Gretchen Goodman, and Jessica Ripley, studies the reliability of various tags used to identify individual oysters. Sentinel Oyster Project (SOP)÷SOP uses different oyster strains with varying disease susceptibilities to help us get an idea of the disease pressure at a particular site. You can visit the SOP page to get more info.
How can you be involved with GREEN?
Start oyster gardening. For more information, see the VIMS oyster gardening page. Also look at some of the links below. VMRC General Permit #3 is required for participation. Call the habitat division at (757) 247-2252 for an application. Register online in the VIMS/TOGA CHOMP database. By becoming a participant in OYSTER, you are automatically eligible to participate in GREEN projects as they become available. If you are a student interested in participating as a student researcher, contact the GREEN Coordinator below.
How can you contact GREEN?
- GREEN Coordinator: Shawn Stickler; E-mail: stick@vims.edu
- VIMS Oyster Gardening Contact: Mike Oesterling; E-mail:mike@vims.edu
Telephone: (804) 684-7713; Fax: (804) 684-7717
Telephone: (804) 684-7165; Fax: (804) 684-7161