In this article, Project Seagrass CEO Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth reflects on the United Nations Ocean Conference: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, co-organized by Costa Rica and France was held in the coastal city of Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. Over 15,000 people participated, including 2,000 scientists and
The BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty is critical for protecting and enhancing seagrass. Most of the world’s seagrass is within national jurisdictions; however, in some locations, such as the Saya De Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean, seagrass is located beyond any national jurisdiction. This means it’s not legally
The seagrass is greener along Florida’s Nature Coast … figuratively, that is. A new study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series shows that seagrass ecosystems along the northern half of Florida’s Gulf Coast have remained relatively healthy and undisturbed for the last several thousand years. This is not the case for most
Around the archipelago of Orkney, are some of the UK’s most pristine seagrass meadows. With numerous sheltered bays, low numbers of inhabitants, and crystal-clear waters, Orkney’s shores provide the ideal conditions for seagrass. However, much remains unknown about these important ecosystems. The Highland Park funded Sjogras Partnership was established to
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
In this article, Project Seagrass CEO Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth reflects on the United Nations Ocean Conference: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, co-organized by Costa Rica and France was held in the coastal city of Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. Over 15,000 people participated, including 2,000 scientists and more than 60 world leaders. Discussions aimed to shine a light on the challenges of unlocking sustainable ocean investment and how to reinforce the role of marine science in policymaking. Our Project Seagrass team was delighted to be able to attend and contribute to the Conference receiving special accreditation to join the full programme by the UN. The Conference was insightful, inspiring, hopeful, overwhelming, challenging, in short it evoked an epic rollercoaster of emotions both negative and positive respectively around the declining health of our oceans and the demonstrated passion to drive change shown by individuals from across the globe. There was much conversation about David Attenborough’s ‘Ocean’, with divided opinion on the contents and emphasis of the film. For me, this was Sir David doing what he does best and providing an engaging and heartfelt narrative to grip a generalist audience of millions and share the beauty and importance of our ocean whilst highlighting a very real and current threat. Regardless of opinion, the impact of ‘Ocean’ was clear as a persistent thread through the narrative of the conference, and subsequent commitments from governments across the globe to strengthen protection of designated marine areas. This includes the UK Government proposing bottom trawling bans in all English offshore marine protected areas. It’s a start, but we need continued public pressure to ensure a move from proposal to action. We also need much bigger commitments to save our ocean which in turn, if healthy, will respond to the nature and climate crises we are facing. It was encouraging to observe in the Blue Zone some high-level dialogue drawing the connections between land and sea, with even land-locked countries demonstrating interest in ocean health and their impact on it. It’s critical that we target preserving and increasing biodiversity across environmental boundaries for sustainable futures. It’s also clear that we’ve actually moved beyond a need for sustainability. To sustain is to maintain in the same state, when what we so clearly need is environmental recovery at scale and through a connected approach. We will not achieve any environmental or human wellbeing targets taken in isolation. It was repeatedly acknowledged that the ocean is our lifeline, and not just for the 40% of humanity living along coastlines or three billion people reliant on seafood across the globe, but for everyone. Our ocean and the biodiversity it contains sustains life on our planet as we know it. Every part of the global ocean in important, and every part is threatened. Coastal waters, containing 70% of marine biodiversity, are particularly vulnerable at the interface of land and sea with both land-based and ocean-based threats having an impact. Lots of emotive statements were made, all the right words but the associated specific actions needed to drive change and achieve any targets seem elusive. There also seemed to be an imbalance in terms of habitat representation. Seagrass was one coastal habitat receiving limited attention at the United Nations Ocean Conference. Which highlights that there is still much to do to gain acknowledgement that this is a critical habitat alongside, for example, better understood coral reefs, mangroves, and saltmarshes. Seagrass is a habitat that underpins marine biodiversity and delivers a wide range of ecosystem services vital to planetary health, climate resilience, and human wellbeing. Seagrass does this to varying degrees across its near global range. Seagrass systems contribute to targets within all the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, they remain underrepresented in global scale conservation and climate initiatives, and on the formal programme at such a significant conference. UNOC3 was held at the midpoint of the UN Ocean Decade. A decade dedicated to delivering the science we need for the ocean we want. But five years into the decade, our oceans remain far from recovery. We are not on target to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 (life below water) which means we will also be unable to meet other dependent SDGs. Knowledge is improving and the science is clear, but we need to be better at sharing and building on each other’s advances. We also need clearer pathways to influence decision making. In fact, the conference highlighted multiple needs for any chance of achieving ocean recovery at scale. This list is long, but here are just a few examples: We need explicit processes for different sectors to be able to contribute the vast amounts of data that is currently sat on inaccessible hard drives or within unsearchable grey literature. There were repetitive calls for both new and existing data to be shared, this sharing of data and knowledge would serve to turbocharge rather than duplicate efforts on the road to planetary recovery. This goes hand in hand with a need for improved funding for evidence based environmental recovery practices. For me this shouldn’t be an emphasis on initiatives towards financial gain for investors but rather an investment in the resource that sustains and fulfils us all. Too often that connection feels lost, which is disheartening and concerning. Governments need to analyse and respond to the needs of communities. How do they do this? They need data! And sectors within Governments need to work together and pull in the same direction with coordinated approaches. We need to communicate effectively beyond disciplinary, national, and sector boundaries. Finding common language is challenging. Another recurring theme. Critically, we need people to reconnect with nature, and possibly more than that, recognise that we are nature – we need trees, fish, saltmarsh, seagrass and all the wellbeing benefits that they provide – people are disconnected and that’s a big problem. This raises questions of justice and equality, social justice is needed to improve our shared environment. The conference concluded with the adoption of a political
The BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty is critical for protecting and enhancing seagrass. Most of the world’s seagrass is within national jurisdictions; however, in some locations, such as the Saya De Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean, seagrass is located beyond any national jurisdiction. This means it’s not legally protected. Also referred to as the High Seas Treaty, the BBNJ Treaty may play a role in helping to protect such seagrass. Indirect Protection through Ocean Health The BBNJ Treaty focuses on the high seas, which are areas beyond the jurisdiction of any single nation. However, the health of the high seas is intrinsically linked to the health of coastal ecosystems. Threats like plastics, marine pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices originate or have significant impacts on the high seas, but their effects cascade into coastal areas where seagrass thrives. By addressing these broader ocean health issues, the BBNJ Treaty indirectly benefits seagrass meadows. Seagrass at Saya De Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean. Credit: © Tommy Trenchard / Greenpeace Addressing Climate Change Impacts Seagrass meadows are incredibly efficient at absorbing and storing carbon dioxide. However, they are also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The BBNJ Treaty recognises the need to address the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. By promoting healthier oceans overall, it supports the resilience of seagrass in the face of warming waters and ocean acidification. Cross-Sectoral Coordination and Management The BBNJ Treaty aims to establish a more coherent and cooperative approach to ocean governance. It seeks to fill regulatory and institutional gaps in the existing international law framework. This improved coordination among different sectors (e.g., shipping, fishing, deep-sea mining) and regions can lead to more effective management of human activities that might otherwise negatively impact marine environments, including those that influence seagrass health. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) The BBNJ Treaty establishes rules and thresholds for conducting environmental impact assessments for activities planned on the high seas. While these activities might not directly occur in seagrass beds, their potential impacts on ocean currents, water quality, and marine species that interact with seagrass (e.g., migratory species that use both high seas and coastal habitats) can be significant. By requiring EIAs, the treaty promotes a more cautious approach to new activities, reducing potential harm. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer The treaty includes provisions for capacity building and the transfer of marine technology, particularly to developing countries. This can empower nations, especially those with extensive coastlines and seagrass resources, to better monitor, research, and manage their marine environments, including seagrass ecosystems. Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) While seagrass meadows are typically within national waters, the BBNJ Treaty provides a legal framework for establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) on the high seas. Healthier ocean ecosystems can contribute to the resilience of coastal ecosystems, such as seagrass meadows, by supporting migratory species, maintaining ecological balance, and reducing overall pressures on the marine environment. In essence, we need the BBNJ Treaty’s because the focus on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction creates a stronger, more integrated, and more resilient global ocean. This, in turn, provides a more favourable environment for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of critical coastal ecosystems like seagrass. So, if you support the conservation of seagrass, you need to support the BBNJ treaty by lobbying your national politicians to agree to the treaty and to then ratify it. So far, 137 countries have signed but only 50 have ratified, to become law, it requires 60 countries. Check yours here: Progress Map – High Seas Alliance Treaty Ratification
The seagrass is greener along Florida’s Nature Coast … figuratively, that is. A new study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series shows that seagrass ecosystems along the northern half of Florida’s Gulf Coast have remained relatively healthy and undisturbed for the last several thousand years. This is not the case for most other seagrass ecosystems the world over, nearly 30% of which have disappeared since 1879. An estimated 7% of seagrass beds were lost each year between 1990 and 2009. Those that remain are generally not faring well, and the discovery of a healthy refugium is a rare event. “Nothing is really pristine today, because humans have altered all of Earth’s environments, but this is about as good as it gets,” said Michal Kowalewski, senior author of the study and the Thompson chair of invertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Figuring this out wasn’t easy, though. The extraordinary changes humans have made to the planet not only jeopardized the health of entire ecosystems, but they’ve also made it nearly impossible for us to know what a healthy ecosystem should look like in the first place. “Most of the contemporary biological data we have postdates the Industrial Revolution,” Kowalewski said. “If you think about any type of real-time instrumentation that collects physical and chemical information about an environment, or if you think about the rigorous bio-inventory surveys, all of those things are from the last 50 to 100 years at most.” In other words, humans have been altering their surroundings much longer than they’ve been systematically observing them. Fortunately, we aren’t the only thing that keeps a record of the past. Earth does a pretty good job of it, too. That’s the idea behind a relatively new branch of science called conservation paleobiology, which uses the most recent fossil record to reconstruct past ecosystems. For this method to work well, scientists need to analyze a large number of fossils, but there are only a few types of organisms that are preserved in sufficient quantities. Seagrasses, which are entirely composed of soft tissues that rapidly decompose after death, are not one of them. This isn’t a hindrance to paleobiologists, though. Unlike modern grass lawns, which are ecologically barren and in which hardly anything lives but the grass itself, seagrass meadows are underwater oases for coastal marine organisms. This includes a variety of animals that produce hard shells, which are disproportionately represented in the fossil record. The shells of oysters, clams and other mollusks disintegrate so slowly that they stay around the ocean floor from hundreds to millions of years. Kowalewski and his colleagues have previously conducted extensive research showing that the fossils of mollusks and other marine organisms with tough exteriors are so tightly connected and dependent on their environments that they can be used as a surrogate for species that don’t normally get preserved. If mollusks are doing well, it’s likely that everything else is too. To find out if seagrass communities along Florida’s Nature Coast have recently degraded, the study authors sampled from 21 locations in six estuaries, from the mouth of the Steinhatchee River in the north to that of the Weeki Wache in the south. At each site, they used a long hose made from PVC pipe to suction up sections of the seafloor. “We collect sediment samples while scuba diving, and then we sieve those samples and extract all that we find in it,” Kowalewski said. “The samples are dominated by dead material, because it has accumulated there over many centuries. Typically, for every live bivalve or snail, we find thousands of dead specimens.” The odious task of counting and identifying the specimens took his team members several years to complete. Once they’d crunched the numbers, their results showed that mollusk diversity—and the health of seagrass meadows, by extension—hasn’t changed much over the last several millennia, including the most recent one in which humans have left their mark on even the most challenging and inhospitable environments. “Only rarely do we find historical evidence that can make us optimistic about the current state of a local ecosystem,” Kowalewski said. “Most conservation paleobiology studies tell depressing stories about shrinking habitats, declining biodiversity and diminishing ecosystem services. For once, at least, this is not the case. What’s thrilling to me is we can show this system is still in very good condition, which makes it even more important to protect it.” Establishing that the seagrass meadows found along the Nature Coast are relatively unchanged is also important because they can be now used with more confidence as a benchmark for assessing the state of heavily altered seagrass habitats and guiding their restoration. Just 50 miles south of the study’s sampling area, seagrass communities haven’t been as lucky. Between 1950 and 1980, the city of Tampa’s population increased from about 125,000 people to 270,000. During that same period, 46% of seagrass meadows in Tampa Bay disappeared. Aggressive nutrient reduction efforts in the region led to water quality improvements and the recovery of seagrass in Tampa Bay between 1999 and 2018—however, recent assessments have again shown significant reductions in seagrass followed by modest recoveries. On the opposite coast, a survey from 1999 indicated as much as 60% of seagrass coverage had been lost in a 56-mile stretch of the Indian River Lagoon. These die-offs are primarily caused by nutrient pollution from inland farms and coastal cities. Plumes of single-celled microalgae and photosynthetic bacteria feast on excess nutrients and multiply in the water column, creating what are, in effect, marine clouds. This significantly reduces the amount of light that reaches the seafloor, which seagrasses don’t tolerate well. The Nature Coast, which was designated an aquatic preserve in 2020, has largely avoided these challenges. “There’s not a lot of development in those watersheds, particularly from the area around Weeki Wachee all the way up into the Panhandle, so the effects of excess nutrient delivery are not as pronounced as is in other places that have suffered as a consequence,” said study co-author Thomas Frazer, dean and professor of biological oceanography at
Around the archipelago of Orkney, are some of the UK’s most pristine seagrass meadows. With numerous sheltered bays, low numbers of inhabitants, and crystal-clear waters, Orkney’s shores provide the ideal conditions for seagrass. However, much remains unknown about these important ecosystems. The Highland Park funded Sjogras Partnership was established to bridge these knowledge gaps. Now in its fourth year, Professor Joanne Porter’s MSc International Marine Science students from Heriot Watt University Orkney and Dr. Elizabeth Lacey and Dr. Calum Hoad from environmental charity Project Seagrass have focused on developing our scientific understanding of the pristine seagrass meadows found around Orkney’s shores, with mapping and quantifying the ecosystem services provided by Orcadian seagrass being top priorities. Often referred to as ‘marine powerhouses’, seagrass meadows can provide numerous benefits for the surrounding environment. Havens of biodiversity, they provide habitat, food, and shelter to thousands of species of fish, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, and birds. As important fishing grounds, seagrass meadows provide access to food sources and support the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. Seagrass meadows can also trap carbon within the seabed and, if left undisturbed, can store this for millennia. Locating and mapping Orcadian meadows enables local protection, while gathering data to understand these habitats furthers seagrass science, impacting broader understanding and wider conservation efforts. Year 1 | 2022 During the first year of the partnership, then Heriot Watt University student Katy Waring set out to develop methods to assess the ecosystem services provided by seagrass around Orkney. This involved surveying seagrass meadows around Orkney’s shores using Baited Remote Underwater Videos (BRUVs), a non-invasive research tool, to collect data. Katy worked with local engineering firm Hamnavoe Engineering to design and develop the BRUVs and deployed them off Stronsay’s shoreline in the bay of Franks during the 2022 survey. This research provided evidence of the vital ecosystem service that Orcadian seagrass plays in providing habitats and spawning grounds to a variety of marine species, including Pollock and Atlantic Cod. Year 2 | 2023 In year two, then student Oliver Lee supported Dr Esther Thomsen of Project Seagrass to map seagrass meadows using a WINGTRA drone. Building on Katy’s research, Oliver went on to further document the biodiversity within Orcadian seagrass meadows through subtidal surveys at Mill Bay, Stronsay and at Tankerness, Orkney mainland. His research found an abundance of species inhabiting Orkney’s seagrass – further emphasising the significant role that these meadows have for the marine environment. Year 3 | 2024 Year 3 of the partnership supported the research of then students, Emily Powers and Emma Retson. Emily undertook surveys to understand variances of biodiversity in seagrass beds around the Isles. Her research explored how species diversity may be impacted by abiotic factors (such as seabed depth and tidal current flow) and found a higher richness of biodiversity in beds exposed to high tidal ranges and stronger tidal streams. Emma’s research focused on comparing infauna (animals living in the sediment beneath the seafloor) data from different sites and the influence of seagrass density on this. Sediment samples were extracted to enable the biodiversity associated within the sediment to be quantified. Local Stromness based expert Inga Williamson of Biotikos Ltd providing taxonomic expertise in identification of the infaunal organisms. Looking ahead In the summer months of 2025, the Sjograss Partnership will continue working together to better understand the health and extent of Orkney’s seagrass. This year, Dr. Elizabeth Lacey plans to establish ‘sentinel’ sites around the Orkney archipelago. These sites will be chosen to represent the characteristics of seagrass habitats across the islands. By routinely monitoring the sentinel sites into the future, the Sjograss Partnership will improve our picture of the dynamics and drivers of seagrass health in Orkney. In turn, this understanding could help us understand how and why seagrass is changing across Scotland. Within these sentinel sites, HWU PhD candidate Millie Brown is working on ecosystem services (carbon sequestration) of blue carbon habitat mosaics, as part of her SMMR funded scholarship research and MSc project student Alisha Underwood will be studying properties of the sediment associated with seagrass at Finstown and Tankerness. In addition, as part of setting up the sentinel sites, Dr. Calum Hoad from Project Seagrass will be experimenting with high-tech methods for mapping the extent of each seagrass meadow. In the water, the team will use a remotely controlled boat to capture echosounder data. In the air, the team will use sophisticated sensors attached to drones to take thousands of images of the seagrass meadows. From space, satellites will take pictures of Orkney every few days while the team is on the ground. By combining all of these types of data with data collected by hand (and snorkel!), the team will map the sentinel seagrass meadows of Orkney. Examining the strengths and weaknesses of each data source will help the team think about how best to map seagrass across the rest of Orkney, Scotland, and the UK. Hear more in person and get involved! The Sjogras Partnership will be working at seagrass meadows across Orkney from 19th July until 1st August. There are a few opportunities to meet the team in person, to learn more about seagrass, and even to see some seagrass in person: Renewables Revolution Open Day, 2-5pm on 23 July 2025, at the Orkney Research and Innovation Centre, where the Sjogras Partnership will be showcasing Orkney’s seagrass. A guided snorkel over a local seagrass meadow near Kirkwall on Sunday 27th July. Sign up will be necessary and spaces limited. The Orkney International Science Festival Family Day, 10-12.30 and 1-3pm on 6th September, at the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, where Project Seagrass and the local Heriot Watt team will be ready to talk all about seagrass science. We hope to see you there!
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. Volunteer, Lindsey Fragment Walk at Priory Bay, Isle of Wight. Photo by Francesca Page @francescapagephoto 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.
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, which makes stopovers and overwintering sites crucial for survival. Stopovers are the rest stops of the bird world, where species can refuel, rest, and recover before continuing their journeys. Overwintering sites are at one end of the journey, where birds can survive over the harsher months. One foraging habitat for these globetrotters? Seagrass meadows. These marine plant communities don’t just benefit marine life—they play a surprising role in supporting migratory birds. Depending on the species and their needs, birds utilize seagrass in a few key ways. Some species, like certain wildfowl, feed directly on the seagrass itself. For example, brent geese (Branta bernicla) are well known for grazing on seagrass (Zostera spp.) which is their preferred food source. UK estuaries support around 100,000 overwintering brent geese, which arrive from Siberia, Svalbard, Canada and Greenland. These numbers represent around 40-50% of the European wintering population and around one fifth of the global population! Key wintering sites in the UK include Strangford Lough, Lindisfarne, Essex, and the Solent. Seagrass provides crucial food reserves to help them survive over winter and have enough energy to make the long return journey to their breeding grounds. Other birds aren’t after the plants, but the creatures living within them. Seagrass beds act as nurseries for juvenile fish and are home to a wide range of invertebrates like crabs, snails, and worms. Migratory shorebirds such as curlew, godwits (bar-tailed and black-tailed), dunlin, knot, and grey plover forage on these rich prey communities, finding food within the leaves and sediment. Redshank on seagrass. Photo Credit Emma Butterworth Dark-bellied brent geese. Photo Credit Emma Butterworth My own research focuses on understanding how UK birds are using seagrass habitats. The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) encourages countries to develop inventories of migratory species that use seagrass meadows, and I am aiming to develop this inventory. So far, I have observed 18 species listed by the CMS foraging within seagrass meadows, and this is only the beginning! If you have observed any birds outside of those listed below, or if you have photographic evidence of any migratory species foraging within seagrass, please get in touch! We are especially interested in migratory birds but information on all birds is welcome! From a conservation perspective, this work matters. Seagrass meadows are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, facing pressures from coastal development, pollution, and climate change. As we learn more about the intricate connections between land, sea, and sky, it’s clear that conserving seagrass meadows is important to many aspects of nature—including our feathered visitors from far away. UK bird species listed by the Convention on Migratory Species that have been observed foraging on seagrass during surveys and fieldwork. brent goose, dark-bellied Branta bernicla bernicla brent goose, light-bellied Branta bernicla hrota mallard Anas platyrhynchos mute swan Cygnus olor shelduck Tadorna tadorna teal Anas crecca wigeon Mareca penelope bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa curlew Numenius arquata dunlin Calidris alpina greenshank Tringa nebularia grey plover Pluvialis squatarola knot Calidris canutus redshank Tringa totanus common ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula sanderling Calidris alba turnstone Arenaria interpres whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Further information Unsworth, Richard & Butterworth, Emma. (2021). Seagrass Meadows Provide a Significant Resource in Support of Avifauna. Diversity. 13. 363. 10.3390/d13080363. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/8/363 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Aves https://www.cms.int/en/species?field_species_class_tid=421 Please contact Emma Butterworth with any “birds on seagrass” sightings: emmabutterworth@projectseagrass.org
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 Cornwall Wildlife Trust in 2023) with the Cardiff conference anticipated to welcome over 200 delegates to the Welsh Capital. Attendees will participate in a programme of inspiring talks from keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops led by some of the world’s leading seagrass scientists. The event, which will take place at Techniquest in Cardiff Bay and is sponsored by the Crown Estate, will drive forward discussions and actions to protect and restore UK seagrass, alongside providing an invaluable networking opportunity for attendees to share knowledge on seagrass science, policy, and management. Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, CEO of Project Seagrass and Chair of Seagrass Network Cymru said: “I’m delighted to be bringing this conference to Wales in 2025. This is an opportunity to connect science, policy, and action by bringing together those working on seagrass from across the UK. Interest in seagrass has grown substantially in the past few years and this is a forum to share and enhance our collective knowledge to advance towards a healthy and connected UK seascape.” Seagrass meadows play a critical role in keeping our oceans healthy and stocked with food and are important allies to tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises. Yet the current condition of seagrass in the UK is generally poor due to multiple pressures, including poor water quality, and direct physical damage from moorings and anchors with extensive loss having occurred since the 19th Century. The collective action and collaboration fostered by the UK Seagrass Symposium is key to addressing the challenges that UK seagrass currently faces. Dr Benjamin Jones, 2022-24 President of World Seagrass Association said: “Given the increasing challenges that seagrass meadows globally face, I see this UK Seagrass Symposium as a crucial opportunity to build a diverse, equitable, and collaborative UK seagrass community to tackle seagrass decline. We need to both learn from others and share our successes and failures; we simply do not have the time to wait, we need to collaborate, and we need to collaborate now.” A UK Seagrass Symposium hosted in the Welsh Capital is fitting following the Welsh Government’s endorsement of a National Seagrass Action Plan for Wales earlier this year. The Plan presents a blueprint for action over the next five years to achieve a vision where Welsh seagrass meadows are supporting marine biodiversity, vibrant communities, a sustainable economy, and making a valuable contribution to the climate emergency response. Registration for the UK Seagrass Symposium will open later this month. To discuss sponsorship opportunities contact: ben@projectseagrass.org.
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 scientists from the international NGO Project Seagrass, presents one of the most comprehensive global maps ever produced of the human pressures threatening seagrass meadows—vital coastal ecosystems supporting fisheries, and sustaining marine biodiversity in over 150 countries. With help from over 1000 citizen scientists, the team mapped human pressures to seagrass at over 1200 sites across 86 countries, finding that most seagrass meadows face multiple combined threats, including coastal development and pollution to impacts from things like boating, destructive fishing and aquaculture. Strikingly, half of the seagrass sites exposed to human impacts were located within MPAs—areas that are meant to provide refuge from such threats. “These are supposed to be safe havens for biodiversity,” said lead author Dr. Benjamin Jones. “Instead, we’re finding that many seagrass meadows inside MPAs are under intense and overlapping pressures from human activities on land. That’s a red flag—but also a huge opportunity to rethink how we protect seagrass meadows.” A wake-up call By analysing the data submitted by citizen scientists to SeagrassSpotter.org, the researchers created a high-resolution map of global seagrass vulnerability. The results reveal hotspots of concern in regions like Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, and parts of the Caribbean—but also bright spots of lower pressure, where conservation action could be both timely and transformative. Critically, the study exposes a major gap between designation and implementation in the world’s MPA networks—finding that seagrass in 4.4% of the world’s MPA’s is under threat. “Putting a boundary on a map isn’t enough,” said Dr. Jones. “If we’re serious about protecting seagrass meadows—and all the benefits they offer—we need to start managing impacts from land.” The study calls for immediate action to strengthen protections within existing MPAs, prioritize high-threat zones for urgent intervention, and expand conservation to underrepresented but ecologically rich areas. “With just a small fraction of seagrass currently protected, the study makes a clear case for smarter marine spatial planning, localised threat reduction, and global cooperation,” said study co-author Dr. Richard Unsworth (also of Swansea University). The findings support the United Nations’ “30×30” goal to protect 30% of Earth’s land and ocean by 2030—but emphasise that quality of protection is just as critical as quantity. To achieve the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets, net seagrass losses of roughly 3,000 km2 must be avoided annually from 2030 onwards and ~95,000 km2 of these ecosystems must be restored. Meeting these targets requires solving the complex threats that most seagrasses around the world face. From threats to solutions By publishing the data from this study in an interactive map, the scientists hope this becomes a critical tool for policymakers, conservationists, and local communities who can now pinpoint some of the most at-risk areas and focus efforts accordingly. “Seagrass meadows are quiet powerhouses of the ocean,” said Dr. Jones, “[and] this new map shows us exactly where we need to act – not just to stop loss, but to invest in protection and conservation where it matters most.” Such conservation solutions, the authors argue, need not always be ocean based—land-based restoration and watershed management will be critical to combat nutrient pollution. “These threats are real and widespread. But the solutions are just as real and within reach,” said the team. “By mapping the threats, we’re also mapping the solutions. We know where to act. Now the world needs to do it.” Citizen science This global analysis represents the first research study using data from SeagrassSpotter.org, a citizen science platform launched a decade ago to engage the public in seagrass conservation. This milestone marks a significant achievement in seagrass science, showcasing the power of community-driven data collection. Over the past 10 years, volunteers from around the world have contributed thousands of observations, and Project Seagrass hopes this new research will inspire others to participate, and for fellow scientists to also harness the global dataset. The full article is available here. Jones, B. et al. (2025). Mapping global threats to seagrass meadows reveals opportunities for conservation. Environmental Research Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/adcacb
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 Africa, they inevitably encountered seagrasses – flowering plants evolved to inhabit shallow coastal environments that form undersea meadows teeming with life. Our recently published research pieces together historical evidence from across the globe, revealing that humans and seagrass meadows have been intertwined for millennia – providing food, fishing grounds, building materials, medicine and more throughout our shared history. Our earliest known links to seagrass date back around 180,000 years. Tiny seagrass-associated snails were discovered in France at Paleolithic cave sites used by Neanderthals. Too small to be a consequence of food remains, these snails were likely introduced with Posidonia oceanica leaves used for bedding – a type of seagrass found only in the Mediterranean. Neanderthals didn’t just use seagrass to make sleeping comfortable – 120,000 year old evidence suggests they harvested seagrass-associated scallops too. A bountiful supply of food Seagrass meadows provide shelter and food for marine life, such as fish, invertebrates, reptiles and marine mammals. Because they inhabit shallow waters close to shore, seagrass meadows have been natural fishing grounds and places where generations have speared, cast nets, set traps and hand-gathered food to survive and thrive. Long before modern fishing fleets, ancient communities recognised the value of these underwater grasslands. Around 6,000 years ago, the people of eastern Arabia depended on seagrass meadows to hunt rabbitfish – a practice so prevalent here that remnants of their fishing traps are still visible from space. Historic stone fish traps designed to capture seagrass associated fish as the tide retreats. Photos Benjamin Jones Satelite image Apple Maps Seagrass meadows have even been directly harvested as food. Around 12,000 years ago, some of the first human cultures in North America, settling on Isla Cedros off the coast of Baja California, gathered and consumed seeds from Zostera marina, a species commonly called eelgrass. These seeds were milled into a flour and baked into breads and cakes, a process alike to wheat milling today. Further north, the Indigenous Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, as far back as 10,000 years ago, developed a careful and sustainable way of gathering eelgrass for consumption. By twisting a pole into the seagrass, they pulled up the leaves, and broke them off near the rhizome – the underground stem that is rich in sugary carbohydrates. After removing the roots and outer leaves, they wrapped the youngest leaves around the rhizome, dipping it in oil before eating. Remarkably, this method was later found to promote seagrass health, encouraging new growth and resilience. Today, seagrass meadows remain a lifeline for coastal communities, particularly across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Here, fishing within seagrass habitats is shown to be more reliable than other coastal habitats and women often sustain their families by gleaning – a fishing practice that involves carefully combing seagrass meadows for edible shells and other marine life. For these communities, seagrass fishing is vital during periods when fishing at sea is not possible, for example, during tropical storms. When seagrasses returned to the sea around 100 million years ago, they evolved to have specialised leaves to tolerate both saltwater submergence and periods of time exposed to the sun during tidal cycles. This allowed seagrasses to flourish across our coastlines, but also made them useful resources for humans. Mudbricks discovered at the Malia Archaeological Site, Crete, contain remains of seagrass leaves. Olaf Tausch Wikimedia Commons Seagrass leaves, once dry, are relatively moist- and rot-proof – properties likely discovered by ancient civilisations when exploring the uses of plants for different purposes. Bronze age civilizations like the Minoans, used seagrass in building construction, reinforcing mudbricks with seagrass. Analysis of these reveal superior thermal properties of seagrass mudbricks compared to bricks made with other plant fibres – they kept buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer. These unique properties may have been why early humans used seagrass for bedding and by the 16th century, seagrass-stuffed mattresses were prized for pest resistance, requested even by Pope Julius III. Three hundred year old seagrass thatched roof from the island of Læsø, Denmark. Jack Fridthjof/Visitlaesoe By the 17th century, Europeans were using seagrass to thatch roofs and insulate their homes. North American colonialists took this knowledge with them, continuing the practice. In the 19th century, commercial harvesting of tens of thousands of tonnes of seagrass began across North America and northern Europe. In the US, Boston’s Samuel Cabot Company patented an insulation material called Cabot’s “Quilt”, sandwiching dried seagrass leaves between two layers of paper. These quilts were used to insulate buildings across the US, including New York’s Rockefeller Center and the Capitol in Washington DC. A legacy ecosystem – and a living one The prevalence of seagrass throughout human civilisation has fostered spiritual and cultural relations with these underwater gardens, manifesting in rituals and historical customs. In Neolithic graves in Denmark, scientists found human remains wrapped in seagrass, representing a close connection with the sea. “If we have depended on seagrass for 180,000 years—for food, homes, customs—investing in their conservation and restoration is not just ecological, it’s deeply human,” said Project Seagrass’ Chief Conservation Officer Dr Benjamin Jones. “They were not just background scenery — they were practical, valuable, and even life-saving. They’re also solutions hiding in plain sight for things like food resilience — habitats that offer communities today a lifeline in times of need.” Our new research tells us that seagrass meadows are not just biodiversity hotspots or carbon storage systems. They are ancient human allies. This elevates their value beyond conservation – they’re repositories of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. They were practical, valuable, and deeply integrated into human cultures. We have depended on seagrass for 180,000 years – for food, homes, customs – so investing in their conservation and restoration is not just ecological, it’s deeply human.
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 happened very last minute. I was originally set to do a Year in Industry abroad in South Africa, but when COVID hit, I suddenly found myself without a placement. I reached out to the Swansea University Biosciences staff to see if anyone had an available opportunity, and Dr. Unsworth from Project Seagrass got in touch, offering me a chance to apply for a position. Before then, I didn’t know much about seagrass, but it ended up completely changing the course of my career! What have you been up to following your internship with Project Seagrass? I remained strongly involved with Project Seagrass after my internship. My undergraduate dissertation focused on a seagrass topic I became passionate about during my time there. After graduating, I returned on a temporary contract to help with the busy seed-picking fieldwork season. I then spent a season working as a terrestrial ecological surveyor but ultimately returned to seagrass research for my MRes degree at Swansea University. After completing my MRes, I was fortunate enough to secure a full-time position at Project Seagrass, where I’m currently working. In many ways, I’ve never really left! Reflecting on your time with Project Seagrass, what were the main skills you developed during your internship? During my internship, I gained countless valuable skills, too many to list! While some may not be the most obvious or glamorous, they’ve had a lasting impact on my career. One key lesson was resilience. The long, physically demanding fieldwork days taught me how to push through challenges, which has proven invaluable in both my professional roles and my personal life. A surprisingly practical skill I picked up was driving vans and large 4×4 trucks. This ability has come in handy in every job since then, especially when it comes to transporting equipment or groups of people. Most importantly, my internship helped me build confidence in myself and my abilities. I was entrusted with significant responsibilities and a high degree of independence, which allowed me to prove to myself that I’m capable of much more than I initially realized. What was the highlight of your internship experience with Project Seagrass? My highlight was discovering a gap in seagrass scientific literature which happened to coincide with my personal passion – birds. Project Seagrass, especially Dr Unsworth, supported this interest and I was able to have my first published piece of literature. The discovery of this topic – the role of seagrass in supporting birds – changed the course of my academic career (and my life) and I am still working on it today! What advice would you give to people looking to pursue a career in the marine conservation sector? Get involved in as many different opportunities as you can! You never know when something will come up that could kickstart your career or lead to unexpected experiences. Even if it’s not something you want to do long-term, you’ll still gain valuable skills and make connections that can significantly boost your employability.
