Oysters are Important!
In an estuary such as Choctawhatchee Bay, oysters are a keystone species responsible for cleaning the water. Oyster reefs are a self-sustaining ecosystem where adult oysters spawn and produce larvae that will float freely in the water column until they attach permanently to a substrate, or surface. Once this occurs, the oyster larvae are known as spat.

Whether from disease, pollution, or habitat destruction, o yster populations are declining (Shellfish Reefs at Risk Report, 2009). CBA, Spat On! Youth Outreach and the Choctawhatchee Oyster Gardening Program will be growing live oyster spat and moving these creatures to reefs constructed by our volunteers. The Bluewater Bay Marina and Valparaiso's fishing pier will be the sites for our reef-building efforts.
How Can I Help?
  There are a number of ways that you can help restore oyster populations in the Choctawhatchee Bay:
1) Volunteer your time by helping bag and move recycled oyster shells to construct Living Shorelines as part of Operation Restoration 'Save Our Bay'.
2) Join the Choctawhatchee Oyster Gardening program. We are recruiting 50 homeowners to grow oysters in oyster cages at their personal docks.
3) PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION! Think twice about what you use near the water. Non-degradable products can end up in our estuary where it can harm sensitive oyster ecosystems.
To learn more about oysters , please visit- NOAA Spat 
  Coastal Clean-Up Results
On Saturday, September 17th, CBA celebrated National Estuaries Week by hosting two International Coastal Cleanup sites. Community members of all ages volunteered their time to clean up marine debris around the Choctawhatchee Bay beaches. One site was held at Liza Jackson Park in Fort Walton Beach and the other was at Eagle Creek on Eglin AFB property off of Highway 20 East. Altogether, there were 15 volunteers who picked up over 200 pounds of trash! We would like to thank all the volunteers for their ongoing efforts! With your support, we are able to keep our coast healthy and beautiful for all to enjoy!
  Pictured above, the many pieces of debris and garbage bags we filled and removed from the sites.

Pictured below, a few of our very helpful volunteers - Thank you so much for all your help!
Before and after photos of the Coastal Clean-Up project! over 200 pounds of debris was removed from the coastline by our volunteers.

The top five most common forms of trash were cigarette butts, pieces of foam packaging, plastic pieces, plastic bottle caps and plastic bottles. The International Coastal Cleanup is an effort made by the Ocean Conservancy to work with local organizations to collect marine debris and quantifiable data on the forms of debris picked up to promote sustainable solutions for the future.

  Habitat Rx
  CBA has had a successful 2 weeks at Ferry Park in Fort Walton Beach with our Habitat Rx invasive plant removal program. Throughout the 6 scheduled events CBA staff, AmeriCorps members, the Longleaf Alliance, and a few dedicated volunteers removed at least 200 invasive Chinese tallow trees! We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved, including The City of Fort Walton Beach for hauling away the mountains of tree debris.
Pictured above, Longleaf Alliance members and volunteers showing off their strength.

Pictured to the left, the team of CBA staff, AmeriCorps, Longleaf Alliance and volunteers pose for a memorable photo.
Meet the 2016-2017 AmeriCorps Team
     We would like to welcome our 2016-2017 AmeriCorps team. These environmental stewards will support CBA’s program by teaching the Grasses in Classes program in 22 schools and restoring 10 acres of land this year! We are excited to see what they will accomplish.
Pictured left, our AmeriCorps team at Walker Elementary teaching the 3rd grade classes how to plant smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, on 6 October, 2016.
Join the Alliance! Donate to CBA, Today! 
Become a steward of local waterways by supporting CBA's mission in the Choctawhatchee watershed.
All monetary donations to CBA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Check out CBA's 2015 Stewardship Report!
Dunes in Schools Commences!
As a new school year begins, so does community outreach and restoration efforts. CBA and AmeriCorps are bringing the coastal environment back into the classroom with hands-on learning for middle school students. CBA conducted field trips to Henderson Beach with students from Freeport Middle School on September 23, 2016.

With funding and support from 30A Coastal Dunes Wine Company, Okaloosa Schools and Okaloosa SCIENCE, CBA has been able to bring more schools into the Dunes in Schools program.

Ask about the Dunes in Schools program at your child's school to see if these adventures await your little environmental scientist!
Sixth grade students from Freeport Middle School on a field trip to Henderson Beach to learn about Northwest Florida's coastal environments.
Educator talking with students about the importance of dune grasses to our Coastal Dune Lake ecosystems.
Thanks to our partners' generosity, CBA can serve more local schools!
Get Involved.
CBA is looking for Volunteers to help us 'Save Our Bay'! Report to the utility barn at the Northwest Florida State College - South Walton Center in Santa Rosa Beach, FL (CBA Offices) to bag oyster shell and construct sections of our oyster reef!

*10/20/16 - Volunteers will meet at Bluewater Bay Marina Complex boat ramp.*

Bagging Oyster Shell - 9am to 11am
Build an Oyster Reef - 12pm to 4pm

Do you want to 'Save Our Bay'? Click the link to RSVP, today!
Upcoming Events
October 14, 2016
Mattie M. Kelly Environmental Institute's 9th Annual Symposium
Northwest Florida State College, Niceville, FL

October 15, 2016
Live Oak Landing, Freeport, FL

October 22, 2016
Everywhere!
Visiting NWFSC
On Thursday, September 29, 2016 Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance provided a touch-tank for NWFSC zoology students to learn about local marine organisms first-hand!  Using a microscope, students were able to have a close encounter with marine life seined at the Destin Pass. 
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