Seagrass projects
This page lists nature conservation projects that (among other things) protect seagrass fields. For an overview of all our nature projects, see our nature web page.
Project details
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The Blue North: regeneration of the northern coastline of Mallorca, 2025-2027
As the Mediterranean Sea is in a poor ecological state, Commonland is supporting the Mallorca Land and Sea Alliance - a collaboration of several NGOs focused on regenerating seagrass meadows, developing Marine Protected Areas and increasing local awareness and engagement in nature restoration.
In its first year of support from the Turing Foundation, the project yielded promising results. For the next two years, there will be five priorities: (1) restoring marine ecosystems, including monitoring efforts in Cala Murta; (2) policy development and support for protected areas; (3) community engagement through forums, campaigns and education; (4) promoting sustainable agriculture and water management, including support for farms and expansion of a citizen science app; and (5) strengthening the alliance's organisational capacity and securing diverse funding sources.
The alliance recognises the challenge tourism poses to nature conservation. Consequently, it is taking steps to alleviate the impact of tourism. Initiatives include natural wastewater treatment in collaboration with hotels and municipalities, proposals for new marine protected zones and promoting responsible tourism such as eco-certified diving and sailing. It is also creating partnerships with tourism-related businesses to enable structural contributions to ecosystem restoration through new financing models.
The Turing Foundation is contributing €100,000 towards this project (of which €50,000 in 2025).
See also:
Commonland: other projects
Other projects in Spain
The Blue North: regeneration of the northern coastline of Mallorca
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Zeegrasherstel in de Oosterschelde, Oosterschelde, 2023-2026
The Sea Ranger Service> wants to enable marine biodiversity recovery on a greater scale by developing maritime
innovations and training young people as Sea Rangers to carry out operational nature restoration activities.
In collaboration with the University of Groningen, which has been a prominent competence centre in research
into and implementation of seagrass restoration for several years, this new project has been initiated to involve
Sea Rangers in implementing sea grass restoration at a greater scale. The aim is to restore seagrass in the Eastern
Scheldt and thus develop a method which can be replicated in large-scale restoration projects outside Europe.
Actively restoring seagrass will contribute towards the reintroduction of the plant in the Eastern Scheldt.
Seagrass can help improve greatly local biodiversity. Restoration can be achieved quickly, as seagrass restoration
research in the Wadden Sea has demonstrated. Researchers documented a positive biodiversity impact within two years,
with 30% more bottom-dwelling creatures in the seagrass than outside the test field. Most were herbivores such as snails,
periwinkles, amphipods, sea isopods and mussels. These species are the base of a rich food web and are eaten by many fish
and birds. Moreover, restored seagrass meadows can also reduce coastal erosion by stabilising sand with their network of
roots and rhizomes, as well as acting as carbon sinks by absorbing CO2 from the water and storing it in the seabed.
In short, seagrass meadows play an important ecological role, and in north-west European seas they have a comparable
diversity of marine life as tropical coral reefs. This ecosystem engineer is a key component of a rich ecosystem.
Not only on a local level but impacting mobile species such as fish and birds too.
The lessons learnt from seagrass restoration projects will contribute towards new internationally recognised standards
for seagrass restoration by the Consortium for European Seagrass Analysis and Restoration (CESAR).
The Turing Foundation is contributing € 150,000 towards this project (of which, € 50,000 in 2025).
See also:
Other projects in Netherlands
Zeegrasherstel in de Oosterschelde, Oosterschelde
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Scaling up community-led conservation of marine ecosystems, Madagascar, 2023-2026
Blue Ventures is an organisation that campaigns for the preservation and protection of the sea, and puts people first. It supports coastal communities in remote and rural communities to rebuild fisheries, restore ocean life and develop sustainable ways of generating income for the local community.
This project focuses on protecting 557 km2 of marine area in the Bay of Tsimipaika, in the north-west of Madagascar, based on community-led marine conservation. This is being reached by supporting the Miaramientagna Federation's coordination of bay management. Fishing restrictions are being implemented, and sea grass reserves and no-take zones are being established to improve biodiversity and increase fishing yields. In addition, 21 members of the community are being trained to monitor the marine ecosystems and use their data to show the local community the advantages of complying with the sustainability measures. Various aspects of local communities' decision-making are being improved and local support is being fostered for new and larger marine reserves.
The Turing Foundation is contributing € 193,000 towards this project (of which, € 50,000 in 2024)
See also:
Blue Ventures: other projects
Other projects in Madagascar
Other climate projects
Scaling up community-led conservation of marine ecosystems, Madagascar
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The Blue North: regeneration of the northern coastline of Mallorca, 2024
Commonland focuses on the holistic restoration of land and sea ecosystems worldwide. Active in 23 countries, Commonland has the ambitious goal of sustainably restoring 100 million hectares of land globally, primarily by promoting knowledge exchange and collaboration with local communities. Due to the poor ecological state of the Mediterranean Sea, Commonland is supporting the Mallorca Land and Sea Alliance in Mallorca, a collaboration of various NGOs focused on the regeneration of seagrass meadows, the development of Marine Protected Areas and increasing local awareness and involvement in nature restoration. This project marks the initial step towards a collective approach with NGOs on the island recognising the significant interdependence of their work. This underscores the importance of cooperation to mitigate the impact of tourism and protect the vulnerable marine ecosystems around the island.
The Turing Foundation is contributing € 150,000 towards this project.
See also:
Commonland: other projects
Other projects in Spain
The Blue North: regeneration of the northern coastline of Mallorca
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Ecosystem Management for the Murciellagos Bay, Philippines, 2007-2009
Murciellagos Bay is a breeding ground of important and diverse ecosystems. The bay covers 8,000 hectares and is home to rare and endangered fish, shellfish and sea turtle species. The area is threatened by pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing. The Philippine organisation PARTS (Partner for Rural & Technical Service) tries to have part of the coral reefs, mangrove forests and sea grass beds identified as Marine Protected Areas, so as to stop illegal fishing practices and encourage the recovery of the ecosystem and fish stock. The ambition is to achieve a sustainable balance between nature conservation and the local economy, for instance by strengthening the fishing organisations in most of the 24 local fishing villages, and by investing in nature education for the local community.
The Turing Foundation and IUCN Nederland will together contribute the sum of € 90,000 to this project, which runs until June 2009.
See also:
IUCN Nederland: other projects
Other projects in Philippines
Other mangrove projects
Fishing village, Murciellagos Bay, The Philippines
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Sustainable management of the biodiversity in the Lamit Bay, Philippines, 2007-2010
The Philippine organisation NSLC (Network of Sustainable Livelihoods Catalysts)
is devoted to a sustainable conservation of Philippine nature.
The rich biodiversity of Lamit Bay is threatened by commercial overfishing and dynamite fishing.
The local community, dependent on fishing and on the cultivation of red seaweed,
will cooperate in the protection of a network of 'no-take zones' covering 350 hectares
(in the form of Marine Protected Areas). Expectations are that this protection of
coral reefs, sea grass areas and mangrove forests will lead to the sustainable conservation
of the entire bay (50,000 hectares). The training of the local community and the tapping of
sustainable alternative sources of income play an essential role in this project.
The Turing Foundation and IUCN Nederland will together contribute € 88,000 towards the costs of the project until July 2010.
See also:
IUCN Nederland: other projects
Other projects in Philippines
Other mangrove projects
10% improved coral cover measured in Lamit Bay at the end of the project (july 2010)
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