Along shorelines from British Columbia to Baja California, discerning eyes can find a unique treasure tucked into the nooks and crannies of our nearshore environment. This local gem is the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida), the only oyster native to North America’s temperate West Coast. Once present in large beds along our coast, populations of this small filtration powerhouse were decimated from overharvest, pollution and habitat degradation. Yet remnants remain. And with a series of boosts from creative, committed researchers, restoration practitioners and shellfish growers, Olympia oyster populations and the critical structural habitat they provide are on the rise. Read on to learn more about the cross-cutting research, restoration and education that we, the Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative (NOOC), have underway!