Restoring the new york harbor to the thriving marine ecosystem it once was (interview with murray fisher of billion oyster project)
Murray Fisher (@harborfisher) has dedicated the last twenty years to making New York Harbor healthier, more biodiverse, more abundant, more accessible, more well-known, and most importantly—more well-loved. He is the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Billion Oyster Project (@billionoyster), a nonprofit that works to restore oyster reefs to the New York Harbor through public education initiatives. The initiative has been featured in numerous notable media outlets such as Fortune, NPR, Sustainability Times, World Economic Forum, and PEW.
Before starting the Billion Oyster Project, Murray founded the New York Harbor School (@harborschool), where he served as Program Director, managing the school's maritime curriculum and program.
In this podcast episode, Murray sheds light on why restoring oyster reefs will be a crucial step towards restoring the New York Harbor to being one of the most ecologically diverse marine ecosystems as it once was; the power in leading restoration and rewilding projects in the heart of urban landscapes as opposed to in more remote regions; and more.
To start, get a glimpse below into the conversation between Murray and Green Dreamer Podcast's host, Kamea Chayne.
“Oysters are the temperate water analogs of the coral reefs that live in the tropics.”
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This is a conversation on Green Dreamer with Kamea Chayne, a podcast and multimedia journal illuminating our paths towards ecological balance, intersectional sustainability, and true abundance and wellness for all. This preview has been edited for clarity. Subscribe to Green Dreamer Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or any podcast app to stay informed and updated on our latest episodes.
On how to engage young people in environmentalism while improving educational outcomes:
“The responsibilities that I was given for helping protect this water body was helping me learn more information than I had in any of my previous years of education.
It was then that I thought, this is how we should teach and train young people—through activating and giving them responsibility for protecting our local ecosystems.”
On the role of oysters in temperate water ecosystems:
"The easiest way to think about it is that oysters are the temperate water analogs of the coral reefs that live in the tropics.
People understand that coral reefs provide habitat for all of the fish, plants, and animals living in tropical water; they understand that coral reefs protect islands and beaches from storms and waves; they understand that coral helps filter the water.
Oysters provide all of those same roles in temperate water like New York Harbor.”
On ensuring the local ecosystem is considered by a city's decision-makers:
“For us, what we're trying to do with the Billion Oyster Project—and this is probably the most important part—is that we want ecology to matter.
We want the local ecosystem to be in the city's consciousness. We want it to be on the consciousness of city planners, politicians, and businesspeople.
As people sit around the table making decisions, discussing how we will run, plan, design, and live in the city, we want the local ecosystem to have a seat at that table. That's what Billion Oyster Project has done.”
Final words of wisdom:
"One thing that was very powerful for me was a quote I read when I was working at Water Keeper and I was trying to make my decision of what to do next. And I was thinking I want to start a school about New York Harbor.
This quote totally changed the course of my life. It's a quote about commitment by William Hutchinson Murray.
‘Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can: begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.’
[…] I can't emphasize enough that if you think you see a way you can have an impact on the planet: do it, start it now. Whether you're five year-old or fifty year-old—it doesn't matter.
People committing to do something bold is the most powerful thing in the world.”
