If you haven’t heard the news, Michael Hodges, SCORE’s fearless leader, will be retiring from the program after 24 and a half years of service!
Michaels commitment to grassroots oyster restoration has always centered on fostering a sense of ownership for our natural resources. Under his tenure SCORE has educated more than 26,500 people about the importance of oysters and salt marsh resiliency through outreach efforts. Through boots-on-the-ground work and plenty of sweat equity SCORE has involved almost 67,000 volunteers totaling 144,436 stewardship hours.
Building on the foundation that Nancy Hadley laid starting in 2000, Michael has met challenges with innovation, embraced the power of volunteerism, and through the partnerships and new funding sources has scaled the SCORE program from a small grassroots restoration program to the beast it is today.
Michaels commitment to SC’s oyster resources and love for the salt marsh has aways been contagious. he has mentored many current and former SCDNR staff and left his mark not only at DNR, but on the national living shoreline stage. Today SCORE is the largest state oyster shell recycling and restoration program in the country, and many other agencies, nonprofits, and groups have applied what SCORE and Michael have created in South Carolina to their home fisheries.
Thank you, Michael, for always believing in your people and giving us the freedom to think outside the box. The estuaries will be a little less bestuary without you.
If you’re interested in helping celebrate his retirement, please reach out the score@dnr.sc.gov
New Volunteer Software
Curious on how our new volunteer software works? Watch our quick demo here
SCDNR is proud to introduce our new volunteer management platform, Galaxy Digital!
No need to fill out your volunteer information every time you come out and volunteer with us. Simply create your volunteer account once, and you’ll never have to create another account again.
Galaxy Digital will be your one-stop shop for everything SCDNR volunteer-related. You’ll be able to sign up for individual volunteer opportunities, sign up your team, view your total volunteer hours, and more!
Roast season is here! Please remember to recycle your oyster shell and to roast responsibly.
Roasting responsibly means making sure the oyster shell from your oyster roast ends up in a recycling bin so it can be used to replant South Carolinas oyster beds. This also means recycling only oyster shells and to remove trash before you recycle. Click on the link to find a recycling bin near you!
The SCORE team had a busy summer and couldn’t have done it without the help of volunteer power. This 2026 reef season we completed 11,684 linear feet of shoreline! This accounts for 2.4 acres of oyster reef added to the South Carolina coast. Thanks to 3,500 volunteer field hours in addition to the numerous hours in the fall and spring to make the substrate that we put out in the summer.
Kiawah
The SCORE team along with partners, Sustainability Institute and Conservancy of the Sea Islands, completed our Kiawah Bridge Project! We successfully deployed 800 manufactured wire reef units (MWRs) at four sites encompassing the bridge. The installation of these MWRs accounted for over 2,000 feet of living shorelines! These MWRs will provide the substrate needed for larval oysters to attach to, grow, and provide the amazing ecosystem services we get from having healthy living shorelines. These ecosystem services include but are not limited to habitat, erosion mitigation, and water filtration. It was tough work done well by all stakeholders involved!
AMI
The SCORE team went out to AMI Kids Beaufort and put on an all things crabbing clinic for the boys out there. Staff members went over the life cycle, anatomy, and the rules and regulations surrounding Atlantic blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). Staff members then taught them how to catch blue crabs with old fashioned hand lines as well as crab baskets. Several crabs were caught, then the boys were taught how to dispatch, clean, cook, and eat them. It was a great day of fellowship and understanding the resource right there on their campus!
Calling all Costal Cooks
Grand Strand Area:
Oyster shell recycling volunteers are needed! Great news is that Grand Strand restaurants are on board for shell recycling. We are seeking partners and volunteers interested in getting involved.
Please click the link for more information.
As a part of our joint SCORE/ SC SeaGrant Consortium’s Title 1 schools grant we will be developing a costal cookbook highlighting SC coastal cuisine and creating another connection between people and the salt marsh for participating students. Please be as detailed as possible and include a picture, ingredients necessary cookware, step by step instructions, and a fun recipe name. Also feel free to include any personal/family/historical anecdote about your dish. If your dish is included for inclusion, we will be sure to share a copy of the cookbook with you! Please send submissions to score@dnr.sc.gov
Spe-SHELL Announcements
Be on the lookout for Shellby in a Christmas parade around town!
Roast season is here! Please remember to recycle your oyster shell and to roast responsibly.
The SCORE team along with partners, Sustainability Institute and Conservancy of the Sea Islands, completed our Kiawah Bridge Project! We successfully deployed 800 manufactured wire reef units (MWRs) at four sites encompassing the bridge. The installation of these MWRs accounted for over 2,000 feet of living shorelines! These MWRs will provide the substrate needed for larval oysters to attach to, grow, and provide the amazing ecosystem services we get from having healthy living shorelines. These ecosystem services include but are not limited to habitat, erosion mitigation, and water filtration. It was tough work done well by all stakeholders involved!
Be on the lookout for Shellby in a Christmas parade around town!
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