Falmouth Seagrass Restoration Project

Exciting plans are underway to restore seagrass meadows within the Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation (SAC). These important underwater habitats support high levels of marine biodiversity, provide a vital carbon store, protect coastlines and offer serene spaces for recreation and wellbeing.

Seagrass in the Fal

Within the SAC, there are around 100 hectares – or approximately 1.1km2 – of Zostera marina, also known as common eelgrass. While much of this remains intact, some areas are degraded and require active restoration to reach their full potential.

© Cornwall Coastal Data Hub

This restoration effort is part of a multiyear collaboration between Cornwall Council Ocean Conservation Trust’s Blue Meadows project, the University of Exeter, Falmouth Harbour and Falmouth Marine Conservation Group. Each partner brings its own expertise to the collaboration, from ecological monitoring and habitat restoration techniques to community engagement and local marine stewardship.

Restoring

Restoration work is scheduled to begin later this year, using a combination of Ocean Conservation Trust’s innovative HMS OCToPUS seagrass seeding device and cultivated adult seagrass plants grown in hessian pillows. This two-pronged approach is great for restoring seagrass habitats at scale, with this project setting an ambitious goal to restore 10 hectares of seagrass over the next three years. The restoration sites have been carefully selected and are already supported by Blue Meadows Sensitive Habitat Marker Buoys, maintained by Falmouth Harbour, which designate Voluntary No Anchor Zones to reduce threats to these sensitive seabed habitats.

In preparation, the coming months will see partners undertaking detailed site monitoring, seed collection and community outreach. The project also provides a valuable opportunity for scientific research, with the University of Exeter facilitating data collection and analysis to assess the restoration success and ecological impacts. This research will offer important insights into carbon sequestration, species abundance, and the expansion of seagrass meadows, contributing to broader seagrass knowledge and future restoration efforts.

© Mark Parry

Connecting

Community engagement will play a central role throughout. By connecting people with their local marine environment, the initiative aims to foster long-term stewardship of seagrass meadows. Community seagrass monitoring programmes and citizen science initiatives will develop as part of the project, ensuring that Falmouth’s community remain at it’s heart. Public awareness campaigns will also continue to highlight the importance of these habitats and promote sustainable behaviours throughout the wider SAC.

News

Join us at one of the upcoming public drop-in sessions to explore exciting plans to restore the precious seagrass meadows of the Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Princess Pavilion, Falmouth
🗓️ 30th June – 11am to 3pm
🗓️ 18th July – 3pm to 7pm

Pop down and share your voice, ask questions and join the conversation on how Falmouth’s community can help shape the future of your local marine environment.

Can't make it? No problem - email us at bluemeadows@oceanconservationtrust.org or Abigail.crosby@cornwall.gov.uk