JLL volunteers help revive New York Harbor, advance Billion Oyster Project’s mission

Governors Island, NY JLL deepened its commitment to sustainability and community impact this summer as more than two dozen employees joined the Billion Oyster Project on Governors Island, helping to restore NY Harbor’s critical oyster reefs by 2035.

As part of a hands-on sustainability effort led by managing director Andrew Dzenis, JLL team members volunteered to spend the day helping clean and sort recycled oyster shells and assemble them into reef structures that mimic natural oyster reefs, encouraging young oysters to attach and grow. 

The JLL team’s work alone will help support the implementation of over 100,000 new oysters to NY Harbor, each with the capacity to filter 50 gallons of water per day. 

“We used to be the Big Oyster before we were the Big Apple,” said Ben Salus, corporate coordinator at Billion Oyster Project, noting that New York Harbor was once home to over 200,000 acres of oyster reefs, and oysters were a staple of the city’s economy and cuisine from the 1600s through the 1800s. “Restoring the population is great for the biodiversity of the water and storm surge protection and we’re thrilled to have volunteers from JLL support our work.”

Some of the city’s top restaurants now donate their oyster shells to BOP, which was founded in 2014 with the dual mission of restoring oyster reefs and educating New Yorkers on marine science and environmental stewardship. To date, the project has restored over 150 million oysters across 20 acres while engaging thousands of students and volunteers in the effort.

Dzenis said, “BOP is helping improve water quality and turning once-inaccessible shorelines and waterways into an equitable resource for all New Yorkers. Over the last few years, we’ve seen immense improvements in water quality and biodiversity, and we aspire to make kayaking, swimming, fishing and other water recreation become more common across all communities. It’s an honor to support organizations like BOP, whose values align with JLL’s mission to support sustainable and inclusive growth.”

JLL’s participation is part of the company’s broader commitment to sustainability, climate resilience, and community engagement. Through strategic partnerships and employee volunteer programs, the company actively invests in community engagement efforts that foster education, equity and a healthier future for all.