Happy #WorldOceanDay!

Following its World Ocean Day launch, everyone from scientists to conservationists, and from community groups to environmental funders now have access to an innovative new knowledge sharing platform: #SeagrassRestorer.

Launched by an international partnership comprising some of the world’s leading seagrass scientists, #SeagrassRestorer provides a unique opportunity to learn not just from each other’s restoration successes but, perhaps more importantly, each other’s restoration failures. The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Europe endorses #SeagrassRestorer as an official partner of the UN Ocean Decade.

#Seagrass meadows have faced significant losses across the globe. In response to this, a growing number of initiatives are underway in an attempt to restore these vital underwater ecosystems, with projects taking place in diverse locations ranging from temperate estuaries to tropical lagoons. But seagrass restoration is not as simple as planting trees on land. While some projects have achieved notable success, most scientists agree that the majority of seagrass restoration projects fail to meet their intended goals.

#SeagrassRestorer fosters global collaboration and knowledge sharing within the global seagrass restoration community like never before. Users can share and download information on where, when, and how seagrass restoration projects have been undertaken, and, importantly for those planning their own projects, what methods have worked, and what methods have not.

#SeagrassRestorer represents a crucial step forward in the field of seagrass restoration. Filling a critical gap by providing an open-access, interactive, and continuously updated portal that records details of seagrass restoration projects across the globe. By centralizing data, promoting transparency, and fostering collaboration, it aims to accelerate progress in marine habitat restoration and contribute to the resilience of coastal ecosystems.

Founding partners of #SeagrassRestorer include Project Seagrass, Swansea University, Deakin University, Stellenbosch University, University of Groningen, Universidade do Algarve, Hassanudin University, University of Gothenburg, Dalhousie University, CQUniversity, and Universidade de Aveiro.