Save the Oysters! UCF Town & Gown Annual Friendship Luncheon Goes Marine

Did you know that a single oyster filters as much as 50 gallons of seawater each day? This and other marine facts were shared with guests at this year’s UCF Town & Gown Friendship Luncheon. At the event, guests enjoyed a lively presentation showcasing the hard work by UCF Professor Dr. Linda Walters’ students in saving these over-worked and under-appreciated mollusks.

The well-attended annual event, which is a celebration of friendship among leaders at both UCF and in the Orlando community, allowed Dr. Walters the opportunity to share the great conservation work by UCF in harvesting new oyster reefs to eradicate damage cause to the reefs by recreational boat wakes.

Guests had the opportunity to participate in creating oyster mats for placement in destroyed reef locations. The hands-on demonstration allowed participants to be part of the solution in this declining ecological situation. Without viable oyster reefs, the entire marine eco-system would be destroyed. This is especially important in Florida’s nutrient-rich estuaries.

Thanks goes to Dr. Walters and her biology students as well as UCF’s Town & Gown Council for making this year’s Friendship Luncheon educational yet fun!