Wild Oyster Project

What Wild Oyster Project does

Wild Oyster Project is a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by Earth Island Institute, that restores native Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) through a closed-loop shell recycling and habitat construction model. The program stack centers on Save Your Shucks shell collection from partner restaurants, a 2-3 year outdoor curing protocol (aided by a chicken-feeding "lounge" at the REAP Climate Center), Oyster Base Camps (wire mesh cages suspended from docks for larval settlement), and ECOncrete Oyster Reef Balls deployed at Heron's Head Park as part of a Port of San Francisco Shoreline Resilience Project. Supporting infrastructure includes COSMO community science monitoring events, K-5 environmental education delivered to SFUSD classrooms, an interactive Restoration Map, and an iNaturalist-based oyster identification guide.

Revenue is generated primarily through tax-deductible individual and corporate donations processed via the Earth Island Institute giving platform, suggested-donation corporate volunteering experiences booked through the Development Manager, and ticketed fundraising events such as the National Oyster Day oyster-and-wine pairing ($35 per guest). Distribution runs through direct volunteer recruitment (Shell Runners, Education Ambassadors, community scientists), restaurant partnerships for shell supply, school-based curriculum delivery, and event-driven engagement at festivals and conferences. The team consists of eight named staff plus interns and seasonal workers, operating from sites in San Francisco, Alameda, and Brisbane, CA, with an advisory council drawing from leading West Coast oyster farmers and marine scientists.

Name

Wild Oyster Project

Legal name

Wild Oyster Project

Website

https://wildoysters.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wild Oyster Project is a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by Earth Island Institute, that restores native Olympia oysters through shell recycling, Oyster Base Camps, ECOncrete reef balls, and community science programs serving Bay Area volunteers, restaurants, schools, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Habitat Restoration

NAICS

Shellfish Farming (112512), Aquaculture (11251)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Oyster reef restoration
• Shell recycling services
• Marine habitat restoration
• Community science monitoring
• Living shoreline construction

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: The primary revenue stream comes from individual donations and corporate contributions. The organization accepts tax-deductible donations through Earth Island Institute's platform and runs periodic fundraising campaigns and events.
2. Corporate Volunteering Fees: Corporate groups pay suggested donations in exchange for customized volunteer team-building experiences that include shell recycling activities, reef monitoring, and educational tours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wild Oyster Project restores native Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) to San Francisco Bay through a community-driven shell recycling program, deployment of proprietary restoration structures (Oyster Base Camps and ECOncrete Oyster Reef Balls), citizen-science monitoring, and K-12 environmental education. The organization collects used oyster shells from restaurant partners, cures them for 2-3 years, and deploys them as substrate for oyster larvae settlement in bay habitats.

Product overview

Wild Oyster Project is a community-based environmental non-profit offering a suite of oyster restoration programs rather than a traditional technology product. The core offerings include the Shell Recycling Program (Save Your Shucks) for collecting and curing oyster shells, Oyster Base Camps (suspended monitoring cages), and Oyster Reef Balls (ECOncrete structures with shells). Supporting programs include COSMO community science monitoring events, corporate and individual volunteer opportunities, K-5 education programs, the Aw Shucks newsletter, an interactive restoration map, and an iNaturalist oyster identification guide. These programs work together to restore native Olympia oysters to San Francisco Bay through community engagement, shell recycling, and citizen science.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shell Recycling Program (Save Your Shucks) Community shell recycling initiative that collects used oyster shells from partner restaurants, cures them for 2-3 years exposed to the elements, and prepares them for deployment in restoration projects. Volunteers (Shell Runners) collect shell buckets from restaurants and deliver them to curing sites in San Francisco and Alameda; shells are cleaned by chickens at the "Chicken Lounge" and then sun-dried at designated shell mounds.
• Oyster Base Camps (OBC) Wire mesh cages filled with cured recycled oyster shells suspended in the water column from docks in San Francisco Bay. These modular research stations attract Olympia oyster larvae for settlement, provide substrate for spat while protecting them from predators and environmental stress, and serve as quarterly-monitored research stations staffed by trained volunteers. Five Oyster Base Camp research stations are deployed around San Francisco Bay.
• Oyster Reef Balls (ORBs) Concrete reef structures built with ECOncrete marine concrete technology, filled with bagged cured oyster shells, and deployed in intertidal zones at Heron's Head Park. These artificial reefs create living shoreline habitats that filter water, provide fish habitat, and protect against shoreline erosion and sea level rise. 60 ORBs were deployed with 2,000 lbs of cured shell in May 2022.
• COSMO (Community Oyster Science Monitoring Opportunities) Events Community science events where volunteers learn to identify, measure, and document plants and animals living in the Bay's intertidal zone, with focus on native Olympia oysters. Events are tide-dependent and held at sites including India Basin shoreline in Heron's Head Park and Mission Rock Resort.
• Corporate Volunteering Events Customized team volunteer experiences including shell recycling work days (moving ~500 lbs of shell), COSMO monitoring events, shell pen building (each pen holds 10,000-15,000 lbs of shell), and reef-to-plate nature tours with oyster socials at Save Your Shucks partner restaurants like Mission Rock Resort. Pricing is suggested donation-based and customized by group size and activity, with optional add-ons including catered lunch.
• Education Programs (Our Bivalve Buddies in the Bay) Environmental education units for K-5 students (especially 3rd-5th graders) teaching Olympia oyster biology, ecology, and Bay restoration. Includes the "Our Bivalve Buddies in the Bay: Olympia Oysters" virtual curriculum (six half-hour sessions), in-person field trips, classroom presentations, and early childhood video series. Delivered to 220+ SFUSD students in fall 2020 and expanded to additional classrooms since.
• Volunteer Shell Runner Program Volunteer program where individuals collect oyster shell buckets from Save Your Shucks partner restaurants on a weekly basis and deliver them to shell curing sites in San Francisco and Alameda. Coordinates the full chain from restaurant donation through to curing pile.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 Oyster Reef Balls deployed at Heron's Head Park with 2,000 lbs of cured shell
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Earth Island InstitutecoreOthersWild Oyster Project is a project of Earth Island Institute, a 37-year-old environmental nonprofit that supports grassroots conservation projects. EII provides administrative infrastructure, 501(c)(3) status, and operational support including platinum transparency rating from GuideStar and four-star Charity Navigator rating.
• REAP Climate CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREAP Climate Center in Alameda provides East Bay hub for shell collection, community outreach, and volunteer work days. They constructed a chicken feeding lounge for cleaning recycled shells and designated space for shell curing operations.
• Port of San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Heron's Head Park Shoreline Resilience Project. The Port led the overall project incorporating living shoreline features including Wild Oyster Project's intertidal oyster reef balls, funded by Measure AA, San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, Proposition 68 and Proposition 1.
• ECOncretecoreTechnology or IntegrationECOncrete provided the specialized Oyster Reef Balls (ORBs) for the Heron's Head Park installation. ECOncrete develops marine concrete technology that enhances biodiversity and creates habitat for marine species.
• Cook & Her FarmerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric Swan's Market restaurant partnership where Romney Steele and Steven Day's café, oyster, and wine bar joins shell recycling efforts, bringing restaurant expertise to the restoration mission.
• Mission Rock ResortcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant partner hosting Save Your Shucks shell drop site and Oyster Base Camp monitoring station. Featured in National Oyster Day event venue hosting oyster socials with proceeds benefiting Wild Oyster Project.
• Lazy BearminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorModern American dinner experience restaurant donating oyster shells to Save Your Shucks program for recycling into future Olympia Oyster habitat.
• ChandoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWinery partner providing sparkling wine for National Oyster Day events and summer socials. Their 'By the Bay' sparkling wine paired with oyster events to raise funds and awareness for Wild Oyster Project.
• PatagoniacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPatagonia Palo Alto hosted Wild Oyster Project summer social event with 25% discount offered to attendees. Partnership for community events promoting environmental causes.
• SF Bay Bird ObservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Salt Bay South Ponds Project, the largest wetland restoration on the West Coast. Wild Oyster Project made shell donations to assist Snowy Plover habitat rehabilitation.
• Hog Island Oyster Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOyster farmer on Advisory Council; partnered for French television documentary 'Invitation au Voyage' about San Francisco oyster history. Proprietor John Finger provides industry expertise.
• Bodega Bay Oyster CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOyster farmer and Advisory Council member (Whittaker Strain). Farm supplies Olympia oyster spat from Bodega Marine Lab and grows Olys in Tomales Bay. Partnership for oyster supply and industry knowledge.
• Tomales Bay Oyster Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOyster farmer and Advisory Council member (Heidi Gregory, General Manager). Long-standing shellfish farm operating since the 1970s.
• Starbird MaricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member Chris Starbird's oyster farming operation, combining marine biology expertise with commercial aquaculture.
• DOER MarineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member Elizabeth Taylor's deep ocean exploration and research organization providing marine science expertise.
• Puget Sound Restoration FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member Betsy Peabody's organization, Executive Director, brings Pacific Northwest oyster restoration expertise and comparative best practices.
• RenewSF BayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosting National Oyster Day Social and Fundraiser at Sierra Point Yacht Club with Wild Oyster Project for community event supporting living shoreline plans.
• Cafe OhloneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterview partnership highlighting Ohlone indigenous food traditions and oyster harvesting history. Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino's restaurant celebrates Chochenyo and Rumsen Ohlone food culture.
• Enterprise for Youth and Nature in the CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate Career Corps collaboration - paid six-week internship program for local youth in green workforce development related to ecology, climate science, and environmental justice.
• Barnacle FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner at Devil's Canyon Brewing fundraiser event bringing sustainable seafood food options to benefit Wild Oyster Project.
• Ray of Sunshine FarmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Bay farm helping Harker High School students build Chicken Lounge for shell cleaning and providing curing space for Save Your Shucks South Bay expansion.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tampa Bay Watch: Florida-based nonprofit running community oyster reef restoration with volunteer deployment days, shell recycling, and living shoreline construction — same volunteer-led restoration approach targeting a different estuary.
• Save the Sound: Connecticut-based environmental nonprofit running shellfish restoration, habitat protection, and clean water advocacy in Long Island Sound. Comparable model combining community science, restoration projects, and policy work.
• Puget Sound Restoration Fund: Pacific Northwest shellfish restoration nonprofit led by Betsy Peabody, who sits on Wild Oyster Project's Advisory Council. Closest comparable Olympia oyster restoration program nationally.
• Galveston Bay Foundation: Texas-based estuarine restoration nonprofit running oyster reef and marsh restoration programs with volunteer engagement. Operates the same habitat-restoration model in a different Gulf coast geography.
• The Watershed Project: Bay Area watershed restoration nonprofit where founder Linda Hunter previously served as Executive Director and spearheaded the first community-built native oyster reef. Directly comparable mission, geography, and program structure.

Others

• Hog Island Oyster Co. Commercial Tomales Bay oyster farm whose proprietor John Finger sits on Wild Oyster Project's Advisory Council. Provides commercial aquaculture expertise, oyster spat supply context, and industry credibility rather than competing as a restoration peer.
• Restore America's Estuaries: National membership network for coastal restoration organizations including many oyster restoration nonprofits. Not a direct service competitor but a coordination, advocacy, and funding intermediary relevant to Wild Oyster Project's sector.

Broad incumbents

• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Large-scale oyster restoration nonprofit operating across the Chesapeake Bay watershed with oyster reef construction, education, and advocacy. Larger and broader but operates the same core model of volunteer-driven oyster reef restoration.
• Earth Island Institute: Fiscal sponsor and parent organization of Wild Oyster Project. Incubates multiple environmental projects under its 501(c)(3) umbrella and provides administrative infrastructure, governance, and fundraising support.

Regional players

• San Francisco Baykeeper: San Francisco Bay water quality advocacy and enforcement nonprofit. Shares geography and donor base but focuses on pollution enforcement and litigation rather than habitat restoration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WildOysters
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCB7m708Cc0rYYHMpESaVlKg
• Facebookfacebook.com/wildoysters
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewildoysterproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wild-oyster-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wild Oyster Project