A nature and animal lover, John Smithie (16 | New York, New York) read Oyster, a book about New York Harbor, which opened his eyes to the way New Yorkers were once deeply connected to the water around them, and how oysters were central to them as a food source and part of their economic well-being. However, due to the highway developments in the city during the 1950s and 1960s, many New York residents, especially in lower income communities, have been cut off from the water by heavily trafficked roads that were built out along the river’s edges, and fragile water ecosystems were simultaneously destroyed. Inspired by the Lenape - the tribe indigenous to modern-day New York City, New Jersey, and much of Pennsylvania and Delaware - belief of shared resources cared for by all, John began volunteering with the Billion Oyster Project.

As a community scientist for the Billion Oyster Project, John grows oysters while monitoring oyster health and water quality at two sites along the East River, engaging a rotating group of up to 20 of his peers in his efforts. As oysters grow, they filter the surrounding water and capture carbon dioxide, while oyster reefs can serve as barriers to storms and tides and create thriving ecosystems. John is also working with restaurants and clubs in midtown Manhattan to recover oyster, hard-shell clam, and scallop shells that would otherwise end up in landfills. These shells provide a surface and necessary nutrients young oysters need to grow into self-sustaining oyster populations. John hopes that through his work, New Yorkers learn about the importance of oysters on New York City’s ecosystem and that people around the world can see that diverse animals can thrive in urban environments.