Plans to restore a ‘unique’ ecosystem in the Solent are well underway – and those behind the scheme are asking people from Southampton to help.
Since December 2021, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust have been on a mission to see seagrass habitats in the Solent restored.
The Solent Seagrass Restoration Project has seen the Trust collect healthy seagrass meadows that have been imported from around the world and then planted in the Solent – with the aim of encouraging wildlife back into the area.
READ MORE: Seagrass seeds collected for Solent restoration project
Jamie Marsh who is the HIWWT Director of Nature Recovery, Wilder Wight & Wilder Sea said: “The Solent seagrass meadows are some of our most valuable marine habitats, while eelgrass is unique in being the only flowering plant to live in seawater.
“The variety of wildlife that these meadows support is truly amazing”.
A trust spokesperson said that so far they had planted more than 2,350 seagrass seed pods in the Solent, with each containing between 15 and 45 seagrass seeds.
In 2022, the project had its first success when planted seedlings began sprouting.
By spring this year, the trust completed their fourth round of planting, trialling a new method called dispenser injection seeding which typically involves injecting seeds into the seabed using a dispenser attached to a boat or diver.
This summer they have been harvesting more seeds for re-planting later in the year.
With the help of donations, the trust is hoping to plant an additional 2000 pods into the Solent’s waters.
These seagrass beds are described as ‘unique ecosystems’ that support a huge array of marine life by providing habitat, food, breeding grounds, and shelter for several species.
These include sea anemones, stalked jellyfish, sea slugs, pipefish, seahorses, and cuttlefish, which visit to breed and attach their black eggs to the seagrass leaves, known as ‘sea grapes’.
The seagrass is also a good food source for Brent geese who make the 3000-mile journey from Siberia to the Solent every year for a milder winter.
Bass populations will also benefit from the scheme, as the species spends up to seven years growing in the Solent – helping with sustainable fishing.
Seagrass meadows also help buffer the impact of wave energy and protect our coastlines from the impacts of climate change and weather patterns.
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