Within the anatomy of the Great Bay Estuary, oysters have historically served as the liver and kidneys, filtering enormous volumes of water. But, due to overharvesting, pollution and disease, oyster populations in Great Bay have declined dramatically over the last few decades. The Nature Conservancy and the University of New Hampshire have been working to restore Great Bay’s oyster population, and they’ll get some funding help from the N.H. Conservation Committee in 2010.

The Committee has awarded a conservation grant for just under $40,000 to the Nature Conservancy to help fund the Great Bay Oyster Restoration Project. The Conservancy was one of eight organizations or municipalities across the state to receive funding totaling more than $140,000. The Oyster Restoration Project was awarded the largest of the eight grants.

In 2009, the Conservancy and UNH expanded the Oyster River reef by adding a new shell layer to the river bottom. They have also planted more than 3,000 young oysters near the endangered reef site. If the project proves successful, thousands of healthy, reproducing oysters will help improve the clarity of Great Bay’s water.

Other grants went to Acworth for preservation of the Desbiens Property Gove Forest; the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust for Schoodac-Brook Trumbull Pond; the Beaver Brook Association for the Potanipo Rail Trail Erosion and Reclamation Project; the Merrimack County Conservation District for its Pine Lane Farm Milk House Waste Project; the N.H. chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation for Successional Habitat and Winter Food Source Development; Ossipee for erosion control at the town beach on Duncan Lake; and the Society for the Protection of N.H. Forests for its Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Demonstration projects.

The Conservation Grant Program is funded by sales of Conservation License Plates, better known as “Moose Plates.” To purchase a plate, visit www.mooseplates.com. For more information about the grant program, visit www.nh.gov/scc.