WEBVTT 00:02.200 --> 00:03.699 FROM THE PUGET SOUND IN 00:03.701 --> 00:05.232 WASHINGTON STATE TO THE 00:05.234 --> 00:06.165 FLORIDA COASTLINE, 00:06.167 --> 00:07.332 ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 00:07.334 --> 00:08.665 STATES ARE DEVELOPING METHODS 00:08.667 --> 00:09.432 TO PROTECT THEIR ENVIRONMENTS 00:09.434 --> 00:10.899 FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. 00:10.901 --> 00:12.032 REPORTER RICK KARR HAS 00:12.034 --> 00:13.665 THE STORY OF ONE CITY 00:13.667 --> 00:14.699 EXPERIMENTING WITH AN UNUSUAL 00:14.701 --> 00:16.232 CREATURE WITH THE HOPE 00:16.234 --> 00:18.899 OF PROTECTING ITS SHORELINE. 00:18.901 --> 00:20.599 JUST BEFORE 7 A.M. 00:20.601 --> 00:21.665 ON A SUMMER MORNING IS PRETTY 00:21.667 --> 00:23.399 MUCH THE PERFECT TIME TO 00:23.401 --> 00:24.466 GET OUT INTO THE WATER 00:24.468 --> 00:26.632 AND GATHER SOME OYSTERS. 00:26.634 --> 00:28.199 IF THERE ARE ANY OYSTERS, 00:28.201 --> 00:29.065 THEY KIND OF OCCUR 00:29.067 --> 00:29.932 IN THESE GROUPS. 00:29.934 --> 00:31.231 WE CALL THEM CLUMPS. 00:31.233 --> 00:32.265 THESE OYSTERS ARE NOT 00:32.267 --> 00:33.933 FOR DINNER. 00:33.935 --> 00:35.832 THEY CAME FROM THE MOUTH OF 00:35.834 --> 00:36.498 THE BRONX RIVER WHERE IT FLOWS 00:36.500 --> 00:38.098 INTO THE EAST RIVER. 00:38.100 --> 00:41.165 THEY'RE FOR SCIENCE. 00:41.167 --> 00:42.331 ALLISON FITZGERALD FROM THE 00:42.333 --> 00:43.398 ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP NEW YORK 00:43.400 --> 00:45.098 AND NEW JERSEY BAYKEEPER 00:45.100 --> 00:46.498 SAYS SHE AND OTHER MARINE 00:46.500 --> 00:49.231 BIOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN 00:49.233 --> 00:50.933 FOR ABOUT A DECADE. 00:50.935 --> 00:52.799 BACK IN 2004, THE PARKS 00:52.801 --> 00:53.566 DEPARTMENT STARTED TO NOTICE, 00:53.568 --> 00:54.966 AS YOU SEE HERE ON THE TIRES 00:54.968 --> 00:55.732 OYSTERS HERE. 00:55.734 --> 00:56.298 WE DIDN'T PUT ANY 00:56.300 --> 00:57.398 OF THESE HERE. 00:57.400 --> 00:58.398 THEY JUST HAPPENED TO BE HERE. 00:58.400 --> 00:59.599 EVEN WITH ALL THE 00:59.601 --> 01:01.065 POLLUTANTS IN THE WATER AND 01:01.067 --> 01:02.532 ALL OF THE SEWAGE OVERFLOWS 01:02.534 --> 01:03.832 THAT GO INTO THE WATER WHEN 01:03.834 --> 01:05.465 THERE IS A BIG RAINSTORM, 01:05.467 --> 01:06.732 RIGHT IN THE SHADOW OF 01:06.734 --> 01:08.131 LaGUARDIA AIRPORT AND HUNTS 01:08.133 --> 01:09.666 POINT MARKET, THE SCIENTISTS 01:09.668 --> 01:11.165 WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW THEY'RE 01:11.167 --> 01:13.065 SURVIVING HERE AND TO SEE 01:13.067 --> 01:13.933 WHETHER IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET 01:13.935 --> 01:15.999 MORE OF THEM TO SURVIVE. 01:16.001 --> 01:17.365 FITZGERALD AND A GROUP OF 01:17.367 --> 01:18.666 VOLUNTEERS CAME OUT TO CHECK 01:18.668 --> 01:20.632 THE ARTIFICIAL OYSTER BEDS 01:20.634 --> 01:22.566 ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SET UP 01:22.568 --> 01:23.966 LAST YEAR AND FIND OUT HOW 01:23.968 --> 01:25.365 MANY OF THE BABY OYSTERS THAT 01:25.367 --> 01:26.498 HAD BEEN PLANTED HAD SURVIVED 01:26.500 --> 01:28.465 AND REPRODUCED. 01:28.467 --> 01:30.165 THE THEORY IS THAT IF AN 01:30.167 --> 01:31.599 OYSTER BED CAN MAKE IT HERE AT 01:31.601 --> 01:33.000 THE MOUTH OF THE BRONX RIVER, 01:33.002 --> 01:35.066 IT CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE. 01:35.068 --> 01:36.298 AND THE WATERS AROUND NEW YORK 01:36.300 --> 01:38.499 COULD USE MORE OYSTERS. 01:38.501 --> 01:39.332 OYSTERS ARE ABLE TO FILTER 01:39.334 --> 01:40.365 THE WATER. 01:40.367 --> 01:41.232 SO IF THERE ARE ANY 01:41.234 --> 01:42.066 PARTICULATES IN IT, 01:42.068 --> 01:43.398 THEY WILL REMOVE THAT. 01:43.400 --> 01:44.432 THEY ARE ALSO ABLE 01:44.434 --> 01:45.699 TO HARBOR POLLUTANTS. 01:45.701 --> 01:47.066 OYSTERS ALSO CLUMP TOGETHER 01:47.068 --> 01:48.899 WHEN A BED THRIVES. 01:48.901 --> 01:50.666 AND FITZGERALD SAYS THAT'S 01:50.668 --> 01:51.432 THE KEY TO RESTORING 01:51.434 --> 01:53.899 THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT. 01:53.901 --> 01:55.000 SO THEY BUILD UP THIS, 01:55.002 --> 01:56.365 LIKE, 3D REEF, 01:56.367 --> 01:57.365 LIKE A CORAL REEF. 01:57.367 --> 01:58.599 THEN THE FISHES SWIM THROUGH 01:58.601 --> 01:59.666 AND THE WORMS AND THE CRABS 01:59.668 --> 02:00.666 AND EVERYBODY CREATES THIS 02:00.668 --> 02:02.565 WHOLE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM, 02:02.567 --> 02:03.666 THAT IF THE OYSTER REEF 02:03.668 --> 02:04.799 WASN'T HERE, IT WOULD JUST 02:04.801 --> 02:06.833 BE A VAST MUDFLAT, 02:06.835 --> 02:08.833 CAN'T GROW ON. 02:08.835 --> 02:10.532 THIS IS ONE OF SEVERAL 02:10.534 --> 02:11.265 PROJECTS AIMED AT BRINGING 02:11.267 --> 02:12.298 MORE OYSTERS 02:12.300 --> 02:14.000 TO THE METRO AREA. 02:14.002 --> 02:15.599 BUT EVEN THE MOST AMBITIOUS 02:15.601 --> 02:17.532 ONE, WHICH HOPES TO PLANT A 02:17.534 --> 02:19.633 BILLION OF THEM IN AND AROUND 02:19.635 --> 02:21.198 NEW YORK BAY, WON'T COME CLOSE 02:21.200 --> 02:22.066 TO RESTORING HOW MANY USED 02:22.068 --> 02:24.033 TO BE HERE. 02:24.035 --> 02:25.799 NEW YORK WAS THOUGHT TO BE 02:25.801 --> 02:27.132 OF THE WORLD. 02:27.134 --> 02:28.298 THERE WERE 350 SQUARE MILES 02:28.300 --> 02:30.465 OF OYSTER REEFS 02:30.467 --> 02:32.765 AND UP TO 6 BILLION, 02:32.767 --> 02:33.965 MAYBE EVEN 9 BILLION 02:33.967 --> 02:35.465 OYSTERS WERE IN THE HARBOR. 02:35.467 --> 02:36.499 EMILY DRISCOLL IS A 02:36.501 --> 02:37.566 DOCUMENTARIAN WHOSE FILM 02:37.568 --> 02:39.832 "SHELLSHOCKED" LOOKS AT 02:39.834 --> 02:40.699 EFFORTS TO BRING OYSTERS 02:40.701 --> 02:42.699 BACK TO NEW YORK. 02:42.701 --> 02:44.066 SHE SAYS A THRIVING POPULATION 02:44.068 --> 02:45.465 OF OYSTERS COULD HELP 02:45.467 --> 02:47.432 NEW YORK'S SHORELINE. 02:47.434 --> 02:48.066 WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED DURING 02:48.068 --> 02:49.732 HURRICANE SANDY. 02:49.734 --> 02:51.265 WE'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. 02:51.267 --> 02:53.066 OYSTER REEFS CAN DIMINISH 02:53.068 --> 02:54.899 SOME OF THAT WAVE ENERGY. 02:54.901 --> 02:56.432 YEAH. 02:56.434 --> 02:57.399 THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE BRONX 02:57.401 --> 02:58.399 INCLUDED A COUPLE OF 02:58.401 --> 03:01.099 ARCHITECTS FROM SCAPE, 03:01.101 --> 03:02.199 THE FIRM THAT'S PLANNING AN 03:02.201 --> 03:03.099 ARTIFICIAL OYSTER REEF ALONG 03:03.101 --> 03:04.765 THE SHORE OF STATEN ISLAND. 03:04.767 --> 03:06.666 ALLISON FITZGERALD OF 03:06.668 --> 03:08.365 NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY BAYKEEPER 03:08.367 --> 03:09.632 SAYS THE PROJECT AT THE MOUTH 03:09.634 --> 03:11.265 OF THE BRONX RIVER GIVES 03:11.267 --> 03:12.632 VOLUNTEERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO 03:12.634 --> 03:14.166 FEEL CONNECTED TO THE WATER 03:14.168 --> 03:15.032 THAT SURROUNDS MOST 03:15.034 --> 03:16.632 OF THE CITY. 03:16.634 --> 03:17.566 I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING 03:17.568 --> 03:18.566 ALL THESE COLLEGE STUDENTS 03:18.568 --> 03:19.666 AND VOLUNTEERS COME OUT HERE 03:19.668 --> 03:20.965 AND SHOWING THEM WHY I'M SO 03:20.967 --> 03:22.765 EXCITED TO BE HERE. 03:22.767 --> 03:23.932 THIS IS LIKE GET IN THE WATER, 03:23.934 --> 03:25.465 GET THE WADERS ON, SEE WHAT 03:25.467 --> 03:26.965 THE ACTUAL REEF LOOKS LIKE. 03:26.967 --> 03:28.465 WORK ALONGSIDE THE ACTUAL 03:28.467 --> 03:29.599 SCIENTISTS AND GET OUT HERE 03:29.601 --> 03:31.099 AND DO SOME GOOD WORK. 03:31.101 --> 03:32.766 FITZGERALD SAYS WE'LL NEVER 03:32.768 --> 03:34.566 BE ABLE TO FULLY RESTORE THE 03:34.568 --> 03:36.332 WATERS AROUND NEW YORK TO THE 03:36.334 --> 03:37.633 WAY THEY WERE WHEN THERE WERE 03:37.635 --> 03:39.599 BILLIONS OF OYSTERS IN THEM, 03:39.601 --> 03:40.899 BUT IT WILL BE A STEP IN THE 03:40.901 --> 03:41.899 RIGHT DIRECTION IF MORE 03:41.901 --> 03:43.366 NEW YORKERS COME DOWN 03:43.368 --> 03:44.832 TO THE WATER FOR A PERSPECTIVE 03:44.834 --> 03:46.466 ON HOW THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT 03:46.468 --> 03:48.266 FITS INTO THE NATURAL ONE. 03:48.268 --> 03:49.066 YOU'RE RIGHT BY 03:49.068 --> 03:50.566 HUNTS POINT. 03:50.568 --> 03:52.299 RIKERS ISLAND. 03:52.301 --> 03:53.999 YOU ARE IN THE SOUTH BRONX, 03:54.001 --> 03:55.332 AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. 03:55.334 --> 03:56.633 THERE ARE EGRETS ON THE SHORE. 03:56.635 --> 03:57.466 THERE ARE CRABS OUT THERE. 03:57.468 --> 03:58.266 THERE ARE OYSTERS. 03:58.268 --> 03:59.399 THERE'S MUD. 03:59.401 --> 04:01.599 IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE. 04:01.601 --> 04:02.466 ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT 04:02.468 --> 04:04.233 BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, 04:04.235 --> 04:05.166 OYSTER BEDS ARE AMONG THE 04:05.168 --> 04:05.966 WORLD'S MOST ENDANGERED 04:05.968 --> 04:08.032 MARINE HABITATS. 04:08.034 --> 04:09.566 MORE THAN 85% OF THE WORLD'S 04:09.568 --> 04:11.299 OYSTER REEFS HAVE BEEN LOST.