Oyster Monitoring Season Begins at Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve

Oyster monitoring season is underway at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR), marking the start of another year of hands-on data collection across the Reserve’s intertidal reefs. The season began in mid-December with a volunteer training day focused on assessing oyster reef condition, including estimating percent cover and counting oyster clusters. 

Fifteen volunteers participated in the training and have since joined GTM staff in monitoring efforts. To date, eight oyster reefs in the St. Augustine area have been assessed. Looking ahead to the 2026 monitoring season, staff and volunteers plan to monitor 35 oyster reefs across the central portion of the Reserve, including sites in St. Augustine, Salt Run and Butler Beach—continuing long-term efforts to track reef condition and support informed estuarine management.