Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation
We Need Your Help to Restore Oysters and Seagrass to Virginia's Coastal Waters! Please consider sending a donation to the Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation!
Like oyster reefs, seagrass beds are critcal underwater coastal habitats! As oysters filter algae and sediments from the water, the amount of sunlight that can penetrate to seagrass increases - as do the Blue Crab and fish communities that rely on the beds for food and protection. Oysters and seagrass thrive side-by-side and form an incredibly productive aquatic environment for numerous species!
Help us maintain the momentum of our restoration efforts! Private donations are needed to help raise the millions of dollars required to restore sanctuary oyster reefs and seagrass beds to all of Virginia’s Coastal waters, from the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay to the seaside bays of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation Brochure
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For more information on the Foundation's activities or fundraising efforts, please contact:
Clifford Schroeder
President
Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation
610 Moorefield Park Drive, Suite 100
Richmond, Virginia 23236-3655
(804)320-0380
vaoysterreef@msn.com
Virginia Oyster Heritage Program t-shirts are still available! And ONLY $10!
The VOHP public-private partnership resulted in restoration of oyster reefs throughout Virginia's coastal waters.
Proceeds of the sale of VOHP t-shirts go to the Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation to continue support of oyster reef and seagrass restoration and education.
T-shirts are available in green or blue, sizes small or medium (shirts run a size large). Sorry L, XL, XXL are sold out. A special discount may be available for large quantity orders. They are quite a bargain for 100% organic cotton!
To order, please call Virginia Witmer at 804-698-4320 or virginia.witmer@deq.virginia.gov.
Cliff Schroeder, Chairman of the Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation at right in photo above, was presented the Orville T. Magoon Award at the 2003 Coastal Zone Management Conference in Baltimore on July 16, 2003. The award was presented by Orville Magoon (at left in photo above), the coastal activist who founded the Coastal Zone Conference Series in 1978. It is presented to the person who, through his or her volunteer efforts and the giving of their own time, has made the greatest contribution in fostering coastal community cooperation and communication.
Cliff was recognized for his service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and its coastal resources as a dedicated, effective and exemplary volunteer for many, many years.
He has given both his time and his personal resources to ensure that our Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act is properly administered. He served as Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board for almost 8 years. Mr. Schroeder spent countless hours trying to ensure implementation of Virginia's landmark coastal legislation, the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, by fostering cooperation and coordination among coastal localities.
Mr. Schroeder is a key player in restoring the native oyster to Virginia's waters. In 1999 he stepped up to the challenge of creating a private nonprofit organization, the Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation. Through Mr. Schroeder's almost single-handed efforts he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for this cause. His rapport with elected officials has helped heighten their awareness of coastal management issues and specifically resulted in the annual appropriation of roughly $1 million/yr for oyster restoration in Virginia.
Recently, the Virginia Oyster Reef Heritage Foundation, recipient of special restoration funds from NOAA, supported publication of the Virginia Oyster Gardening Guide.
