My name is Lowri O’Neill, a 20 year-old marine biology student studying at Swansea University. Ever since I can remember, I have always been obsessed with the ocean. As a toddler, I would watch Finding Nemo constantly all day, every day and would kick up a fuss if my parents suggested we watch any other film (how they didnt go stir crazy, I honestly dont know…). However, my first real introduction to marine biology came at the age of 15, where we visited MOTE Marine Laboratory and Aquarium on a school trip. Here, I learnt that you could study the ocean as a career and that there was such thing as a ‘shark scientist’ which completley blew my little 15 year-old mind. Ever since, I have been an aspiring marine biologist who dreams of one day being able to hold the incredible title of ‘shark scientist’ – coolest job in the world, in my opinion!
Through my degree, I fell in love with the practical side of marine biology and most enjoyed fieldwork and working in the laboratory. With this, I decided to apply for an integrated year in industry as part of my degree, which would allow me to work in the field and gain invaluable experience over the period of a year. After many setbacks as a result of COVID, it was only by chance that I secured a placement with Project Seagrass – now looking back, these setbacks were such a blessing in disguise as my time with Project Seagrass (so far) has been nothing less of incredible.
I was to be thrown into the deep end for my first task, and joined the team at the Isle of Wight to assist with some fieldwork, mainly logger retrivals and drone map surveying. This was my first time working around the tides and experiencing the classic sleep schedule of a true marine biologist, including starts as early as 3am!
However, early morning calls were rewarded with colourful sunrises above beautiful seagrass meadows – a sight that felt very magical to see (after a strong coffee). Perhaps even more exciting, this trip was to be the first time that I experienced a seagrass meadow in all it’s glory. I left the Isle of Wight feeling extremley inspired and with a burning passion to want to protect the meadows I had just wandered. A perfect start to my internship!
During the last three months, I have supported the team across a number of projects across the UK. Assisting with small scale experimental planting trials in the Isle of Wight, processing seagrass nutrient analysis samples in the laboratory and more recently, I have assisted PhD student, Aisling Collins, with collecting blue carbon samples from Loch Craignish in Scotland. Along with supporting these projects, I have also helped with education outreach (creating bilingual resources both in English & Welsh) and social media communications.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that Project Seagrass have and continue to offer me, and I am incredibly honoured to be able to assist such a devoted, hardworking, and supportive group of amazing people. I have learnt so much from each individual member of the team and have never felt more inspired to conserve and protect our wonderfully important seagrass ecosystems.
Seagrass most definitley does rock!!
Cyfiethiad Cymraeg
Internio â Project Seagrass
Fy enw i yw Lowri O’Neill, myfyriwr bioleg y môr 20 oed sy’n astudio ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Byth ers i mi gofio, dwi erioed wedi caru’r môr. Fel plentyn bach, byddwn i’n gwylio ‘Finding Nemo’ yn gyson, trwy’r dydd, bob dydd a byddwn yn pwdu pe bai fy rhieni’n awgrymu ein bod ni’n gwylio unrhyw ffilm arall (sut na aethant yn wallgof, dwi ddim yn gwybod i fod yn onest …). Fodd bynnag, daeth fy nghyflwyniad cyntaf i fioleg y môr yn 15 oed, lle ymwelon ni â Labordy Morol ac Acwariwm MOTE ar drip ysgol. Yma, dysgais y gallech chi astudio’r cefnfor fel gyrfa a bod math beth â ‘gwyddonydd siarc’, rhywbeth doeddwn i ddim yn gallu credu… beth?? Byth ers hynny, rwyf wedi bod yn fiolegydd morol uchelgeisiol sy’n breuddwydio am un diwrnod lle gallaf dal y teitl anhygoel o ‘gwyddonydd siarc’ – y swydd orau yn y byd, yn fy marn i!
Trwy fy ngradd, cwympais mewn cariad ag ochr ymarferol bioleg y môr a mwynheais waith maes a gweithio yn y labordy’r fwyaf. Gyda hyn mewn meddwl, penderfynais wneud cais am flwyddyn mewn diwydiant integredig fel rhan o fy ngradd, a fyddai’n caniatáu imi weithio yn y maes a chael profiad amhrisiadwy dros y flwyddyn. Ar ôl llawer o rwystrau o ganlyniad i COVID, dim ond ar hap y sicrheais leoliad gyda Phroject Seagrass – nawr wrth edrych yn ôl, roedd yr anawsterau hyn yn gymaint o fendith mewn cuddwisg gan fod fy amser gyda Phroject Seagrass (hyd yn hyn) wedi bod yn anhygoel ac anghymarus.
Cafodd fy nhaflu i’r pen dwfn ar gyfer fy nhasg gyntaf, ac ymunais â’r tîm yn Ynys Wyth i gynorthwyo gyda gwaith maes, yn bennaf adalw cofnodwyr ac arolygu mapiau gyda drôn. Hwn oedd fy amser cyntaf yn gweithio o amgylch y llanw a phrofi’r amserlen gysgu glasurol fiolegydd y môr, gan gynnwys cychwyn mor gynnar â 3am!
Fodd bynnag, gwobrwywyd galwadau bore cynnar gyda machlud haul lliwgar uwchben dolydd morwellt hardd – golygfa a oedd yn teimlo’n hudolus iawn i’w gweld (ar ôl coffi cryf). Efallai hyd yn oed yn fwy cyffrous, roedd y daith hon y tro cyntaf i mi weld dôl morwellt yn ei holl ogoniant. Gadewais Ynys Wyth gyda theimlad o ysbrydoliaeth eithafol a chyda angerdd enfawr i eisiau amddiffyn y dolydd roeddwn i newydd grwydro. Dechrau perffaith i’m interniaeth!
Yn ystod y tri mis diwethaf, rwyf wedi cefnogi’r tîm ar draws nifer o brosiectau ledled y DU. Gan gynorthwyo gyda threialu plannu arbrofol raddfa fach yn Ynys Wyth, prosesu samplau ‘dadansoddi maetholion’ morwellt yn y labordy ac yn fwy diweddar, rwyf wedi cynorthwyo myfyriwr ôl-raddedig, Aisling Collins, i gasglu samplau carbon glas o Loch Craignish yn yr Alban. Ynghyd â chefnogi’r prosiectau hyn, rwyf hefyd wedi helpu gydag allgymorth addysg (creu adnoddau dwyieithog yn Saesneg a Chymraeg) a chyfathrebu ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol.
Rwy’n hynod o ddiolchgar am y cyfleoedd y mae Project Seagrass wedi’u cynnig ac yn parhau i’w cynnig i mi, ac mae’n anrhydedd anhygoel i mi allu cynorthwyo grŵp mor ymroddgar, gweithgar a chefnogol o bobl anhygoel. Rwyf wedi dysgu cymaint gan bob aelod unigol o’r tîm a dydw i byth erioed wedi teimlo mwy o ysbrydoliaeth i warchod ac amddiffyn ein hecosystemau morwellt rhyfeddol o bwysig.
Mae morwellt *yn bendant* yn rocio !!