Oyster castles protect South Carolina homes from erosion
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In Laurel Bay, South Carolina, the Nature Conservancy and federal agencies built oyster castles to shield homes and a park from erosion along Port Royal Sound.
The community, near a Marine Corps base, has experienced coastal land loss worsened by climate change and rising sea levels. These structures, made of stacked blocks, form a 2,000-foot wall designed to break waves and slow erosion.
The oyster castles also create a habitat for oysters, encouraging them to attach and grow the wall into a self-repairing reef. The Nature Conservancy reported that sediment has already begun to accumulate and vegetation has regrown near the oldest part of the wall, along with a thriving oyster population. Susanna Massalon Hopkins said the project demonstrates a working solution to coastal erosion.
