Working to help protect the seagrass meadows of the Thames and reverse recent declines, conservationists from the international conservation charity Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are for the first time planting tiny seeds from dwarf eelgrass (Zostera noltii) across three sites in Kent including Seasalter and Elmley Nature Reserve. The planting efforts are part of trials for the restoration of these vital, biodiversity-boosting underwater meadows.

Seagrass, the only flowering plant to grow in seawater and found gently swaying in shallow waters on coastlines across the world, plays an essential role within these marine ecosystems – offering food and shelter for the animals that live beside and amongst it – from seahorses to sharks. However, research has shown that at least 44% of seagrass has been lost from the UK coastline since 1936.

Thea Cox, a conservation project manager at ZSL, said: “Seagrass seeds may be small, but each one is vital to recover this extraordinary habitat. Seagrass meadows provide essential nursery grounds for fish, food for birds, and habitat for a range of invertebrates – meaning they play a vital role in the health of marine habitats. Many seagrass species also help absorb and store carbon within their tissues and the sediment – meaning they can also play an important role in tackling climate change.”

She continued: “Almost half of seagrass in the UK has been lost in the last 90 years, with 39% of that loss having happened since the 1980s. However, with evidence-based conservation action, we have the chance to reduce the pressures on this incredible habitat and restore lush green meadows at scale.”

Through the use of a modified sealant gun and guidance from experts in the Dutch Wadden Sea who developed this method, the team are able to carefully inject precise amounts of a mud and seed mixture into the ground at the trial sites, and will continue to monitor these sites over the coming months as the eelgrass grows. This follows on from work earlier this year trialling the transplant of adult dwarf eelgrass plants. Learnings from other seagrass restoration projects across the UK and Europe and from these Kent-based trials, though currently small-scale, will provide important information for scaling up restoration efforts in the Thames estuary.