Seagrass is one of the world’s most valuable ecosystems, supporting both fisheries and
biodiversity, cleaning surrounding water, and helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Our
aim is to locate and expand its presence in the seas around Kintyre.
The Biosphere project incorporates partnerships with terrestrial conservation groups operating in
the same location, to create a corridor from peat to seabed, allowing ecosystems and biodiversity
to flourish.
The main focus of this project is Carradale and Torrisdale Bays on the east side of the Kintyre
peninsula. The bays have good areas of semi sheltered water, with the right substrate. Historic
records and washed up seagrass plants suggest that seagrass is growing there.
Surveys to confirm the existence in the bays by drone and drivers are scheduled for March2025.
Once the presence of seagrass has been confirmed, we intend to expand the beds, if appropriate,
by a process of harvesting and transplanting rhizomes, or through seed processing and planting
in hessian sacks. The project hope to increase the area of seagrass by one hectare over a three
year period.
Support and guidance with this project has been kindly offered by SMEEF and the SeaWilding
team, at Loch Craignish, Argyll.
This project will involve the local school children the community, contribute to both marine
conservation and carbon capture, and will form a small, but valuable, part of world seagrass
restoration of marine habitat.