We have been exploring the most effective restoration methods for dwarf eelgrass, Zostera noltei, to enhance the natural recovery of seagrass meadows across the Essex and Suffolk estuaries.
We have carried out a series of small-scale restoration trials in the Stour, Orwell, and Blackwater estuaries of Essex.
These trials aimed to identify the most successful and efficient planting method for dwarf eelgrass, Zostera noltei, to enhance the natural recovery of dwarf eelgrass meadows in the Stour, Orwell, and Blackwater.
Restoration of seagrass in Essex support’s the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.
The Stour, Orwell, and Blackwater were historically characterised by large seagrass meadows. However, since the 1970s, surveys have estimated a 98% decline in seagrass cover across these areas.
Since the start of the UN Decade On Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), we have been working in Essex and Suffolk on the planting and restoration of seagrass meadows. This work began with Seagrass Seeds of Recovery, which provided the blueprint for upscaling the restoration of seagrass to enhance the resilience of the estuarine and coastal waters of the Affinity Water and Anglian Water supply regions in Essex and Suffolk.
In March 2023, we travelled to Arcachon Bay, France, with The Fieldwork Company (TFC) from the Netherlands, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), and the London Zoological Society (ZSL) to learn how to conduct Zostera noltei transplants using cores and bring the knowledge back to Essex and Suffolk. From this trip, we formed an international collaboration and are now replicating transplant trials internationally.
This truly innovative partnership of regulators, academic institutions, experienced delivery partners and water companies was the first of its kind.
In summer 2023 we completed the first of the transplant trials. This was a team effort, with volunteers from the Environment Agency, Essex Wildlife Trust and Natural England. Cores were removed from a healthy ‘donor meadow’ and planted at the same site, to aid meadow expansion. Early monitoring of the transplants, completed by Project Seagrass and Essex Wildlife Trust, indicated successful results, with >90% of the transplants still in place.
For World Ocean Day 2024, Emma Fox from Project Seagrass joined Alex from Essex Wildlife Trust, and Jules from LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES to host a webinar about the work to restore seagrass in Essex.
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If you spot seagrass, make sure to upload your sighting to SeagrassSpotter to help track the distribution and status of our seagrass meadows.
