Seagrass colonies are major habitats which help mitigate climate change, assist biodiversity, improve water quality and protect coastlines. However, these ecosystems have been depleted at an alarming pace in the course of the last century. The success of long-term restoration gives good reason for optimism in the years ahead. 

In Virginia, on the United States’ eastern seaboard, seeds have been used over the last two decades to recoup 36 km2 of seagrass in the world’s largest restoration project. This has been of enormous assistance in retaining carbon, boosting water quality and helping to promote biodiversity.