Monday 28 March 2022

England’s largest seagrass restoration project sees 3.5 hectares planted

England’s largest seagrass restoration project sees 3.5 hectares planted

The largest seagrass restoration project in England has planted 70,000 bags of seed, which will provide 3.5 million hectares of seabed for marine wildlife.

The £2.5 million project has been led by Natural England since July 2019 to restore habitats around the country that are at high risk.

Since 1936, the UK has lost around 44% of its seagrass from pollution, anchoring and mooring of boats.

Seagrass has also been found to be as useful at absorbing and storing carbon as woodlands – simultaneously providing habitats for wildlife and capturing carbon emissions to fight climate change.

Studies are also being conducted to better understand how human activity impacts seagrass, with an aim of implementing zones where boats cannot anchor.

Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, said: “Seagrasses are vital – but they are also very delicate. With their existence threatened by disease, pollution, and human activity, we must all work together to support the recovery of seagrasses – and harness their power to combat climate change and restore our natural environment.”

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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