A project to restore a vast grassland of saltwater plants in the Humber Estuary has reached a major milestone, experts say.
Wilder Humber, partner at Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said seagrass is one of nature’s most powerful tools in the fight against climate change, protecting coastlines from storms and erosion.
It once covered about 1,100 acres (445 hectares) of the estuary, but declined dramatically in the 20th century due to pollution, disease and the loss of natural coastal space.
Dr Andy Vandershart-Olivier, of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said the trial planting was “very encouraging” for the future of the grassland.
He added: “We are giving these grasslands the best chance to recover, thrive and deliver real benefits to wildlife, climate and coastal communities.”
Wilder Humber says seagrass absorbs carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests and improves water quality by absorbing pollutants.
Grasslands also provide habitat for fish, eels and birds.
But by the turn of the century, the plant’s size had been reduced to about 12 acres (4.85 hectares).
The latest trial, which was monitored throughout the growing season, tested three growing techniques to identify the most effective.
Research has found that the best results are achieved by injecting seeds directly into the seabed and transplanting small patches of intact seagrass.
“They show that even in dynamic estuaries like this, we can successfully restore seagrass on a large scale if we use the right methods,” van der Schaat Olivier said.
Wilder Humber is backed by renewable energy company Orsted.
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