On March 13th Susan Hollinsworth of the Nature Conservancy was onsite to accept a DuPont DeLisle Community Fund Grant of $7,683 to provide additional support to the oyster bed restoration work in the Bay of St. Louis on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The grant will expand oyster reef restoration activities in Bay St. Louis, over a 1 acre project site, with help from DuPont employee volunteers.  The Nature Conservancy is already working in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to restore a 2 acre reef site in Bay St. Louis, with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation North Gulf Coast Initiative. 

The restoration project objectives include:

• enhanced habitat for a variety of finfish and shellfish,
• decreased shoreline erosion, and
• improved water quality via increased filtration.

Plant Manager Marc Holman and members of the site' Sustainability Committee were on hand to present the check to the Nature Conservancy.

"Environmental Stewardship is a top priority in DuPont's community efforts, and we're excited to support this program," said Marc Holman, plant manager. "We've been involved with the Nature Conservatory for many years, and our employees have been involved with the conservancy."  DuPont employees have been participating in the award-winning program on an ongoing basis, providing volunteers and assistance.