North Wales Seagrass Ocean Rescue
WWF-UK are working in partnership to restore 10 hectares of seagrass in North Wales.
Project overview
WWF, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, are supporting restoration of seagrass meadows in North Wales.
Project Seagrass are carrying out the restoration of seagrass using a variety of methods. The first is to collect seeds from a healthy donor meadow and replant these in areas suitable for restoration. Another approach is to collect fragments that have been found washed up on shore, often following a storm, and replant these along the sheltered areas of our coastline.
Local engagement and volunteering are being run by PS, North Wales Wildlife Trust and Gwynedd Council. They run volunteer sessions for collecting seagrass fragments, planting seeds, and seed collection. Alongside this, the ‘Seagrass Ocean Rescue Champions’, a dedicated network of young people aged 11-16, are actively engaged in the work to learn practical skills and develop as young conservationists.
Why we are doing it
Seagrass is an essential habitat in the UK, acting as both a carbon sink and a diverse ecosystem supporting marine biodiversity. The dense leaves of a seagrass meadow provide shelter and act as a nursery habitat for many species, including commercially important fish such as cod and plaice. However, seagrass meadows in the UK have declined dramatically due to several different pressures, from unpredictable storms and rising sea temperatures to damage from recreational boat moorings. Restoring seagrass meadows is important for returning biodiversity to our seas, capturing carbon from the atmosphere. and engaging local communities to be more connected to the coastal habitats around them.
Project impact
Since its inception in April 2023, close to 2 million seagrass seeds across an area of almost 6 hectares have been planted around Holyhead and the Llŷn peninsula.
The project has delivered over 120 volunteering opportunities as well as engaging people through hosting two annual seagrass festivals so far.
