06/06/2026
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 ‘𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬’ 𝐚𝐭 𝟑 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬
June 4, 2026 – Flagler County has nothing but appreciation for the “Oysters for My Neighborhood” team, as the environmentally philanthropic group has agreed to install Vertical Oyster Gardens at the boat docks of three of its parks: the Moody Boat Launch in Flagler Beach; Bings Landing in the unincorporated county; and in Herschel King Park in Palm Coast.
Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) are suspended, artificial habitats made by stringing recycled oyster shells onto a heavy-duty wire or rope. Hung from residential docks or seawalls, they attract juvenile oysters – called spat – and marine life, serving as miniature, localized reefs that improve local water quality.
“This is a really great project,” said Interim County Administrator Adam Mengel noting he’s had an interest in in vertical oyster gardens for several years. “These gardens both clean the water and create habitat for other creatures – small crabs and shrimp.”
Chuck Gleichmann, who started a local Vertical Oyster Garden Initiative on the Intracoastal Waterway, said he won’t know precisely how many gardens will be installed until the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Florida officially surveys the docks early next week. The goal is to have the gardens installed around mid-June.
“As an example, the Hershel King dock is 115 feet long. We space VOGs two feet apart give or take,” Gleichmann said. “This dock should take somewhere between 55 and 60.”
While Gleichmann and his partner, Brian Hilgers, do not fall under the non-profit category, they have an ability to help individuals and businesses in their efforts to make VOGs part of their water-adjacent ventures.
“A full-grown oyster can filter 50 gallons of water per day,” said Gleichmann. “A string of oyster shells creates a home for new oysters and also creates habitat for others.”
As the oysters grow that attach themselves to these vertical gardens, they can naturally filter between two to five gallons of water per hour, which will significantly improve the water quality of the Intracoastal Waterway.
“This is a big win for our conservation efforts and our community,” Mengel said. “Any time we partner with a group like ‘Oysters for My Neighborhood’ that also expands their visibility and reach, it is a win any way you look at it.”
For more information, go to: www.oystersformyneighborhood.com.
