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Seagrass projects
For an overview of all our nature projects, see our nature web page.
Projectdetails
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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 2024). See also: Other projects in Netherlands  Zeegrasherstel in de Oosterschelde, Oosterschelde |
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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:
 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:
 10% improved coral cover measured in Lamit Bay at the end of the project (july 2010) |
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