A donated track excavator has played an important role in the development of Maryland’s first ecological sanctuary this past summer.

Located on 1.2 acres (.48 ha) of private land in the Nanticoke River in Wicomico County, the $80,000 experimental project uses marine limestone as an alternative substrate for restoring oyster reefs. The oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay has declined because of disease, poor water quality and overharvesting. The idea is to provide an oyster habitat that resembles a natural oyster bar, yet raises the larvae, or spat, above the sandy bottom to give them better water quality and a better chance for survival and reproduction. The limestone is chemically similar to oyster shells, and its craggy surface offers shelter from predators much like a natural oyster reef would.

A Caterpillar 320 excavator was donated by James Alban IV of Alban Tractor Company in Baltimore. According to Don Jackson, project manager of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the machine was used for a number of aspects, but most importantly to lift the 200-lb. (90.7 kg) pieces of marine limestone. A total of 100 tons (90 t) was mined in eastern North Carolina. The boulders were first loaded onto a barge, then placed into 3,000-gal. (11,355 L) setting tanks to allow about 80 million spat to attach to them. Finally, the limestone was placed in the river in a grid pattern of one rock every 6 ft. (1.82 m).

“The use of the excavator was integral to the success of the project,” Jackson said. “We couldn’t have done it without a good piece of heavy equipment, and we’re deeply grateful to Alban for the donation of this equipment to help in the effort to restore the oyster population and help clean up the bay.”

The excavator was operated by John Flood, a conservationist and marine contractor from Annapolis, who also served as the project foreman.

The CBF is collaborating with the University of Maryland and the Oyster Recovery Partnership in the project. Funding also is provided by Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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