An estimated 92% of the UK seagrass beds have been lost in the last century. This summer seeds were collected from existing meadows around the British Isles by a group of volunteers led by Swansea University. They have been sorted and are being prepared to be planted this winter in Dale Bay, Pembrokeshire. Historically this area has lost seagrass, but has the right features for it to survive in terms of water depth and sufficient light levels. Dr Richard Unsworth at Swansea University and director of the conservation charity Project Seagrass and lead biologist on the project said: “If we want to provide our fisheries and our coastlines with the potential to adapt to a rapidly changing climate we need to restore the habitats and biodiversity that support their productivity. Providing a demonstration of the potential for restoration of our marine environment to be meaningful will hopefully act as a catalyst for further recovery of our UK Seas.”
September 15, 2019