Dave Cheney ’88 – The World Is His Oyster

By Caitlin O’Brien P’26

As “far-away neighbors” in Maine, Lawrence Academy trustee Bruce MacNeil ’70; P’04 and Dave Cheney ’88 have known each other for years, although the Johns River physically separated them. Bruce frequently saw Dave working on his aquaculture farm, Johns River Oyster, while he was out on his boat.

Once they established their mutual connection, Bruce and Dave began talking about having LA students visit Johns River Oyster, which Dave founded in 2007. The company grows a mix of bottom- and surface-cultured oysters, which are harvested and distributed throughout Maine and beyond.

In the spring of 2024, LA faculty members Shelby Guinard ’19 and Tony Hawgood P ’25, ’25, ’27 brought their marine science and environmental science classes to meet Dave and visit the oyster farm. The focus of the field trip was to learn about Johns River Oyster and examine how climate change and issues around sustainability impact the seafood industry. Does oyster farming use too many resources? Does it pollute the water? How resilient is oyster farming to climate change, specifically temperature, acidity, storms, and sea level?

In their post-visit presentation, the students reported that oyster farming is one of the most sustainable forms of aquaculture due to oysters’ ability to filter and improve up to 50 gallons of water per day and create an environment that enhances local biodiversity.

Thank you, Dave, for hosting our students and teaching them about the oyster industry!