England’s largest seagrass restoration project is under way

Work on England’s largest seagrass planting effort is taking place in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.

It is estimated that the UK may have lost up to 92 per cent of its seagrass. Factors including wasting disease, pollution and physical disturbance have been identified as contributing causes. Seagrass meadows provide homes for juvenile fish and protected creatures like seahorses and stalked jellyfish. Seagrass also has an integral role in stabilising the seabed, cleaning the surrounding seawater and capturing and storing significant amounts of carbon.

Launched last week and lasting four years, the scheme aims to plant eight hectares of biodiverse-rich seagrass meadows off the south coast: four in Plymouth Sound and four in the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation. 

Led by Natural England, the LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES project has been spurred along by local volunteers, who helped bag the seeds at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth.

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