Seed bags planted to help restore the health of Devon's waters

Volunteers in Devon have this week been preparing 10,000 special seed bags at the National Marine Aquarium to help boost the underwater eco-system of Plymouth Sound.

Research shows at least 44 per cent of the UK’s seagrass has been lost since 1931 and similar work has been taking place in recent years to support seagrass in Torbay.

The Plymouth-based partnership’s restoration lead – Ocean Conservation Trust – is carrying out half a hectare of planting at the end of November and early December at Jennycliff Bay in Plymouth Sound - where they planted one hectare of seagrass earlier this year.  

Volunteers, including around 100 students from the University of Plymouth and City College Plymouth, have been volunteering to pack 10,000 biodegradable hessian seed bags at the National Marine Aquarium.  

This restoration work is part of England’s largest seagrass planting effort under the 'LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES partnership' led by Natural England. 

Fiona Crouch, Natural England project manager for ReMEDIES, said: “Seagrass is crucial ocean habitat but has been lost at an alarming rate over the last 100 years.  

“Our partnership’s work to plant new meadows and protect existing ones will hopefully restore and conserve the many benefits that healthy seagrass offers nature, people, and planet.”  

"Disease, pollution, and physical disturbance have all contributed to the loss of seagrass. But seagrass is important habitat, providing homes for sea life including juvenile fish and protected creatures like seahorses and stalked jellyfish. 

"Seagrass also helps stabilise the seabed, reduce coastal erosion, clean surrounding water, and can be as effective at absorbing and storing carbon as our woodlands.  

"The Ocean Conservation Trust is also trialling an alternative method of growing seagrass seeds to seedling using hessian ‘pillows’.

"The biodegradable pillows are stuffed with seeds and grown in the special cultivation lab at the NMA before being transferred to the seabed. Like the bags, the pillows breakdown naturally over time, leaving only the plant behind."  

Amelia Newman, Ocean Conservation Trust seagrass cultivation officer for ReMEDIES, said: “We’ve been working hard to trial new methods of seagrass restoration for the project. 

"The advantage of using these pillows is that we can see the shoots come up and control light levels in the lab accordingly.  

“Then we can transfer multiple seedlings - pillow and all - onto the seabed once the seedlings are strong, healthy, and their roots have begun to mesh. It gives them a great start and we’re excited to see the results.” 

The four-year ReMEDIES project from July 2019 to October 2023 aims to plant a total of eight hectares of seagrass meadows - four hectares in Plymouth Sound and four hectares in the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation. 

In spring 2022 there are plans for another half hectare of planting in Plymouth Sound, which will include transferring the hessian seedling pillows to the seabed, as well as two hectares of seed bag planting in the Solent.

• seagrass planting plymouth sound
• national marine aquarium