Keeping you up to date with Project Seagrass news and views with a mixture of field notes and commentary on seagrass and marine conservation topics.
Seagrasses are special: they are the only flowering plants that have returned to sea from land. They are also known as the “lungs of the oceans” because of their ability to photosynthesize. And with the exception of Antarctica, they can be found on all continents, where they form extensive underwater
We spoke to Moray Ocean Community about their volunteering in the Moray Firth area and how they integrate the SeagrassSpotter app into their activities. Read the full interview below: Can you tell us about Moray Ocean Community and how it started? Moray Ocean Community started to come together over two
Scientists from the marine conservation charity Project Seagrass are undertaking seagrass planting experiments along the South & West Wales coastline, including a new planting site in Butetown along Cardiff’s Foreshore. Cardiff’s Foreshore is a popular place for sea-angling for species such as cod, which uses seagrass meadows as a nursery
We have just launched a journal club for the Project Seagrass team. These monthly meetups work much like a book club, members of the team each suggest a relevant scientific paper, vote on their favourite, then read the winning paper prior to meeting. During the journal club we critically discuss
Seagrass meadows play a critical role in keeping our oceans healthy and stocked with food, providing valuable nursery habitat to over 1/5th of the world’s largest 25 fisheries. Seagrass meadows are also important to small-scale fisheries, particularly as a place to find and collect a reliable source of food with some
Earlier this month Project Seagrass’ Senior Conservation Officer Katy Waring attended the yearly gathering for coastal communities from the Coastal Communities Network facilitated by Fauna and Flora International. The event was held on the island of Millport at their field studies centre. The 3-day event was inspiring; groups from around
Researchers from the University of Liège (BE) studied the fate of the material produced by Posidonia seagrass meadows. This study, carried out in the Mediterranean Sea at STARESO, shows that the dead leaves of what is commonly known as Neptune grass accumulate in shallow areas, where they break down like
Climate Impact Partners and Deloitte, in collaboration with Project Seagrass and the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, announce a groundbreaking program to fund UK seagrass recovery and unlock long-term finance to save and reinstate vital seagrass meadows. The program will fund critical research across UK seagrass meadows, mapping the ecosystems and developing methods to restore them
With data from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, researchers have revealed seasonal variations in intertidal seagrass across Western Europe and North Africa. As a key indicator of biodiversity, these new findings offer valuable insights for the conservation and restoration of these vital ecosystems. The intertidal zone is the area where the
The Seagrass Ocean Rescue North Wales programme relies on the commitment and enthusiasm of local volunteers. We spoke to regular volunteer Neil about his experiences of volunteering as part of the programme. Volunteer Interview Tell us a little bit about yourself: I grew up in North Wales, then moved around
At Project Seagrass, we rely on the enthusiasm and commitment of our volunteers who support our work to save the world’s seagrass. We couldn’t do it without you! We spoke to Lindsey, one of our regular volunteers in the Solent about her experiences of volunteering with Project Seagrass: 1. Tell
In a guest blog post for World Migratory Bird Day, our Solent Fieldwork Officer Emma Butterworth explores the role that seagrass plays for migratory birds: Every year, migratory birds embark on epic journeys—some spanning thousands of miles—between breeding and wintering grounds. These incredible migrations demand an immense amount of energy,
Between the 11th and 13th November 2025, scientists, conservation professionals, practitioners, and community groups from across the UK will converge in Cardiff for the 2025 UK Seagrass Symposium (UKSS). Hosted by Project Seagrass, the event will build upon the success of the inaugural UKSS (hosted by Ocean Conservation Trust and
A new global analysis finds that many of the world’s most threatened seagrass meadows lie within designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), raising urgent questions about the effectiveness of current protections for coastal habitats and offering a chance opportunity to rethink global ocean conservation. The study, led by a team of
For millennia, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. Savannas and forests are often thought of as the cradle of our lineage, but beneath the waves, a habitat exists that has quietly supported humans for over 180,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans migrated along coasts, avoiding desert and tundra. So, as Homo spread from
During the 2020-21 academic year Project Seagrass welcomed Emma Butterworth to undertake an internship. In our Q&A, Emma shares her experiences of her internship with Project Seagrass and discusses what she has gone on to do next. Who/What inspired you to apply for an internship at Project Seagrass? It all
