March is Seagrass Awareness Month

Publish Date: Wednesday February 28, 2024

Enjoy this, the first newsletter of 2024 from Restoration Forth. The project’s aim is to restore seagrass meadows and native oysters into the Firth of Forth, to create a healthier coastline for people and nature.

Fife Coast and Countryside Trust are a community hub for this project. If you’ve been getting involved, thank you for your time and enthusiasm!

Seagrass News

So far, our seagrass seeds have been on quite a journey since they were picked in Orkney last August. After several seed processing activities with Restoration Forth volunteers and community groups, our seagrass seeds were transferred to the seed storage tower at the Lobster Hatchery in North Berwick.

The seed storage tower was designed by our technical partner Project Seagrass and prevents any early germination of the seeds before they are planted in March. The system is checked daily.

Seagrass awareness month

March has been designated as Seagrass Awareness Month. And 1st March has been recognised as World Seagrass Day by the United Nations. This combination aims to serve as a global platform to highlight the significance of seagrasses, their importance in maintaining marine biodiversity and their role in helping to regulate the global climate.

These dual initiatives seek to educate and engage communities in the conservation of these crucial coastal habitats.

Restoration Forth has organised events in Fife to inspire collective action to safeguard these valuable habitats. You can still sign up for:

Seagrass Citizen Science Session, Burntisland Sands
Sunday 31st March, 10.50am
To celebrate Seagrass Awareness Month, the Ecology Centre is hosting a citizen science session. This event emphasizes the crucial role of citizen scientists collecting data, raising awareness, and fostering a deeper understanding of seagrass habitats.

The 100 Species Project Photo Exhibition, The Ecology Centre, Kinghorn
Saturday 30th March to Friday 12th April, 10am to 4pm