Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers ~ year in review
Mattituck/Cutchogue high school marine science students measure spat-on-shell oysters for growth
Thanks to grant funding from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, the Back to the Bays team expanded our Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers Program on the north shore. This immersive, multi-unit, hands-on curriculum is designed to engage local students, schools, and communities in restoring oyster reefs and coastal plant habitats to Long Island's shorelines. Throughout the 2025-26 school year, middle and high school students from Riverhead, Southold, Mattituck/Cutchogue, and Peconic Community School have been actively participating in their classrooms and in the field.
Restoration in the Classroom
Kim Manzo presenting on eelgrass habitats
School visits by our educators introduced students to the biology, ecological importance, and CCE restoration methods of salt marshes, eelgrass meadows, and oyster reefs, which make up our natural shorelines. With classroom Reef Tanks, students actively engaged in aquaculture, learning to care for a subset of spat-on-shell oysters to be planted in future reef deployments.
Students also learned to germinate seed in their classrooms and, typically, schools with greenhouses can contribute further by helping to growout plants for CCE. Unfortunately, much of the seed collected this year was not viable, likely having been blown out in severe winds prior to collection. Still, these moments provide an important lesson for students in the realities of restoration work and applied sciences.
Marsh grass seed germination trials
Oyster reef tank immediately after a feeding of algae
Oyster reef tank after spat-on-shell oysters clear the water of algae overnight
Southold students help collect marsh grass seed at SCMELC
Field Trips
Through field trips to our Southold facility, students toured our shellfish hatchery, explored salt marsh habitats, helped collect marsh grass seed for future restoration purposes, helped make burlap planting discs for eelgrass planting, and met CCE’s marine scientists and staff.
Art/Science Integration
Not only have the students been able to participate in restoration science, but as part of this grant they have been producing artwork to represent what they have learned and communicate scientific topics through our integrated Art/Science curriculum.
Peconic Community students turn old clam barrels into art
Hatchery tour at Southold facility
Celebrate Student Art + Science
We are excited to celebrate with the whole community at our Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers Open House on June 6th at the Suffolk County Marine Environmental Learning Center (SCMELC) in Southold. We hope you can join us in showcasing Student Art and Science and invite the community to learn about this important work.
We'd like to thank the schools, teachers, and students that worked with us during this 2025/26 school year:
Peconic Community School - 5th-7th Grade Science Classes
Southold High School - AP Environmental Classes
Mattituck/Cutchogue High School - AP Environmental, Environmental, and Marine Science Classes
Riverhead School District's Pulaski School - Entire 5th Grade and Art Club