{"id":360088,"date":"2026-07-31T11:50:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T11:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/aquarium\/uks-largest-ever-seagrass-restoration-project-begins-in-cornwall\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T11:50:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T11:50:45","slug":"uks-largest-ever-seagrass-restoration-project-begins-in-cornwall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=360088","title":{"rendered":"UK\u2019s Largest-Ever Seagrass Restoration Project Begins in Cornwall"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Our charity, the Ocean Conservation Trust<\/a>,\u00a0are\u00a0proud to be launching the UK\u2019s largest-ever seagrass restoration project as part of an ambitious \u00a31.8 million marine recovery programme in Cornwall. Alongside plans to restore 10 hectares of seagrass meadow in Falmouth Bay, the project includes restoring native oyster populations across the Fal and Helford Special Areas of Conservation through a combination of active habitat restoration,\u00a0monitoring\u00a0and community stewardship.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delivered through a new partnership between\u00a0ourselves\u00a0at the Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT)\u202fand Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT), Mor Nature,\u202fCornwall\u2019s first seascape-scale marine restoration initiative,\u202fwill combine our\u00a0expertise\u00a0in large-scale seagrass restoration with CWT\u2019s leadership in native oyster recovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With Mor being the Cornish word for sea,\u202f Mor\u202fNature,\u202fwill contribute towards 2043 government targets to increase\u202fseagrass by 15%\u202fcompared to 2024 levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Backed by \u00a31.4 million from Defra\u2019s Species Recovery\u202fProgramme\u202falongside additional\u00a0funding partners,\u202fthe project supports\u202fthe government\u2019s Wild Again: Restoring England\u2019s Wildlife campaign. Led by the OCT\u202fand\u202fCornwall Wildlife Trust,\u202fthe three-year programme\u202fwill\u202fbring together\u202fmultiple\u202fpartners, including\u202fFalmouth Harbour, Cornwall Council, the\u202fZoological Society of\u202fLondon,\u202fthe\u202fUniversity\u202fof Exeter,\u202fthe Duchy\u202fof Cornwall,\u202fFalmouth Marine Conservation Group, and other local organisations,\u202fto help rebuild\u202fsome\u202fof the UK\u2019s most\u202fimportant\u202fmarine ecosystems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Seagrass meadows are among the most important habitats in the Ocean, supporting biodiversity, improving water quality, storing\u00a0carbon\u00a0and protecting coastlines from erosion, as well as having significant cultural and wellbeing benefits for local communities.\u202fYet the UK has lost almost half of its seagrass meadows since the 1930s, with many remaining habitats now in poor condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The restoration site stretches between\u202fSwanpool\u202fand Pendennis Castle in Falmouth Bay, where OCT first\u00a0established\u00a0protective measures in 2022 through the installation of Sensitive Habitat Marker Buoys and voluntary no-anchor zones. The project also builds on\u202fCWT\u2019s\u202fextensive\u202fwork\u202fin the area\u202fto map and\u00a0monitor\u00a0the\u202fexisting\u202fseagrass meadows\u202fand will\u202fexpand its network of intertidal seagrass restoration sites. CWT will also work with fishers and community groups to\u00a0establish\u00a0new oyster nurseries in the Helford.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Andy Cameron,\u202fConservation Project Manager here at the Ocean Conservation Trust\u202fcomments:\u202f<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

\u201cMor Nature represents a major milestone for marine restoration in the UK.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0not simply planting seagrass;\u202fMor Nature\u202frepresents\u00a0the\u202fholistic\u202fcultivation of\u202fan entire underwater garden, nurturing the relationships between\u202finterdependent\u202fspecies and habitats\u202fthat will allow\u202fa plethora of\u202fmarine life to thrive.\u202fWe\u2019re\u00a0helping to rebuild an interconnected marine ecosystem that supports wildlife, strengthens coastal\u00a0resilience\u00a0and delivers benefits for local communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project demonstrates what is possible when conservation organisations, local communities, government and industry work together to restore nature at scale.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

By\u202fworking collaboratively to\u202frestore\u202fseagrass and native oyster habitats, as partners, we aim to create conditions that support a wide range of marine species, including seahorses\u00a0and\u00a0sharks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dr Dan Barrios-O\u2019Neill, Head of Marine Conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust,\u202fadds:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

\u201cNative oysters were once a defining feature of Cornwall\u2019s\u202fseas, creating thriving underwater habitats that supported wildlife, fisheries and coastal communities. Through Mor Nature, we have an opportunity to restore not only oyster populations, but the ecological functions they provide\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The project will also contribute to wider environmental goals around biodiversity recovery, climate\u00a0resilience\u00a0and improved coastal water quality. Seagrass meadows act as natural carbon stores, trap pollutants and sediments, reduce harmful bacteria in surrounding\u00a0waters\u00a0and provide nursery grounds for commercially important fish species.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To ensure that the habitat\u202frestoration\u202fhas the best possible chance of success, Mor Nature will engage local communities through citizen science projects, snorkel safaris and educational events designed to reconnect people with their local marine environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

The\u00a0programme also serves as a testing ground for the future of large-scale marine restoration.\u00a0Funding\u202fwill be used\u202fto trial the effectiveness of each machine on a small patch of the\u202fmeadow,\u202fbut the vast majority of the 10 hectares will be\u202fplanted\u202fby\u00a0our amazing\u00a0OCT specialist\u202fdivers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As governments, businesses and conservation organisations seek scalable solutions to the biodiversity and climate crises, Mor Nature offers a glimpse of what large-scale ocean recovery could look like in practice.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n