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 us a little about yourself.
Hi my name is Lindsey. I was born in the East End of London which was pretty nature depleted but every year we went to the North Coast of Cornwall on holiday. This was a wild landscape and I fell in love with the natural world here.
Twenty years ago, my family and I decided to move to the Isle of Wight to be closer to the sea and the natural world. For most of my working life, I have been a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist working for the NHS; I retired four years ago and since then have been involved in a variety of volunteering roles around protecting and restoring nature, particularly our sea and the life within it. This has been an amazing time, allowing me to become more deeply involved with the natural world.
2. How did you first hear about Project Seagrass and what inspired you to get involved?
I had started volunteering with The Solent Seascape Project whose aim is to restore four important habitats including seagrass across the Solent area and Project Seagrass has a large role in this restoration work. I heard of Project Seagrass’s work restoring seagrass on beaches near to me and was keen to become involved. Project Seagrass have been carrying out some really innovative work trialling different methods of re-growing seagrass locally. Also, they were keen to involve local volunteers which was great for me.
3. What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?
The most important part of volunteering is feeling that I am part of work that is making a really positive difference to our sea, the life in it, and the wider natural environment.
Through Project Seagrass, I have learnt a lot about seagrass, its role in the ecosystem, its history and what it needs to thrive. I have loved doing the practical work: finding the seagrass seeds and the plants that have washed ashore and preparing them for replanting. I really enjoy passing on what I have learnt to family, friends and the wider community so people understand more about seagrass and its importance. It feels great to be part of a project and a team that is working hard to restore our amazing seagrass meadows.
4. Why is seagrass important to you?
The sea is incredibly important to me and should be to us all. Without a thriving sea, we do not thrive or even possibly survive. Seagrass is a very important marine habitat. It provides a home, locally for Seahorses and Cuttlefish; it is a nursery for species such a skates; it provides protection for our local coast and can sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide. What is there not to love about seagrass. We have started snorkelling in our local sea and coming across seagrass meadows is mesmerising and so beautiful. However, most seagrass in our seas has been lost over the last hundred years and it needs our help to survive and flourish.
5. What would you say to someone who is thinking of volunteering?
I would definitely recommend volunteering for Project Seagrass. The work is fun and fulfilling. The staff are very keen to involve volunteers and to pass on their knowledge and experience which is great. It has been lovely to be part of a friendly team of staff and volunteers and there has always been a very positive atmosphere and a feeling of a job well done at the end of the day. You can be part of making a really positive difference to our seas-why not give it a try!
Join us
Find out more about volunteering with Project Seagrass and sign up today! If you have any questions about volunteering with Project Seagrass, get in touch with us at volunteers@projectseagrass.org.
