Changing a Management Paradigm and Rescuing a Globally Imperiled Habitat

Oyster reefs are the most imperiled marine habitat on earth, with a staggering 85 percent loss in just the past two centuries. A paradigm shift in the way we manage these critical coastal ecosystems is needed to ensure that they are restored and managed to sustain both human and ecological communities. Establishing restoration objectives that incorporate the full array of ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs could provide a much-needed impetus for reversing course and maintaining these vital habitats.