Sponsor a seagrass seed pod

Sponsor a seagrass seed pod

Seagrass is a globally threatened habitat and is increasingly recognised as some of the most important habitats on Earth. These underwater meadows are home to some amazing wildlife and store huge amounts of carbon, making them a key natural solution to the climate crisis. 

Seagrasses get their name from their green, grass-like leaves, which form extensive lush meadows (or beds) underwater, just like the grass we see in our fields. One of the reasons seagrasses are so special is that they are one of only three marine flowering plants in the world. Seagrasses live, pollinate, and reproduce in seawater but are restricted to shallow coastal areas where there is enough sunlight for them to grow and thrive. Amazingly, seagrasses are estimated to have first evolved when dinosaurs walked the earth over 100 million years ago. Today, there are over 60 species of seagrass worldwide, five of which can be found here in the UK. 

Often referred to as ecosystem engineers, seagrasses can profoundly change the environment in which they are found, creating unique habitats which become biodiversity hotspots for a wide range of wonderful marine wildlife. In the Solent, these marine habitats are home to species such as cuttlefish, crab and even seahorses. 

Globally, it's estimated that we lose an area of seagrass the size of two football pitches every hour, while in the UK, it is estimated that we have lost up to 92% of its seagrass over the past century. 

If we act now, we can bring our seagrasses back

Despite vast losses of this precious habitat, there is still hope. In 2021, we launched our Solent Seagrass Restoration Project. Since then, we’ve planted over 1500 seed pods into the Solent and are already starting to see early signs of success.  

But we can’t stop there! Over the next year, we want to plant an additional 2000+ pods into Solent waters and we need your help. By sponsoring a seed pod for just £20, you’ll be helping us to restore, protect and monitor this precious marine habitat.  

Alongside planting pods, we’re also working hard to understand the impacts of seagrass restoration on biodiversity and have partnered with the University of Portsmouth to undertake this important work.  

Each seed pod planted is a piece of hope for the future, a future that is wilder and where wildlife is thriving.  By sponsoring a seed pod today, you can play a role in helping us achieve this vision. In return for your support, you’ll receive a beautiful postcard to commemorate the part you have played in helping to restore seagrass in the Solent. Plus, we’ll also send you updates and videos from the team so that you can follow the journey of our seed pods. 

By restoring seagrass habitats, we will create a wilder Solent.

seagrass seed pod surrounded by seagrass

£20

Sponsor a seagrass seed pod
holding seed sack at planting site

£40

Sponsor 2 seagrass seed pods
Seagrass sacks close up at langstone harbour

£100

Sponsor 5 seagrass seed pods

FAQs

Where will the money be spent? 

All money raised will support our Solent Seagrass Restoration Project and help to fund things like the hessian seedpod bags, monitoring equipment and the technical expertise required to deliver seagrass restoration in the Solent.  

 

Can my pod be used to offset my carbon footprint? 

Whilst restoring seagrass habitats is great for biodiversity and carbon capture, our ‘Sponsor a seagrass pod’ initiative has not been designed as an offsetting tool.  Sponsoring a pod is a great way to support a practical restoration project and whilst you won’t be able to use your sponsorship to offset your carbon, you will be able to celebrate your part in helping this amazing local project restore and protect our seagrass habitats. 

 

Can I sponsor a pod as a gift for someone else? 

You can sponsor a pod as a gift here

 

Why is it £20 to sponsor a seed pod?

We’ve calculated the cost of our Solent Seagrass Restoration Project and worked out that it costs over £20 per seed pod we plant. By donating £20 and sponsoring a seed pod, you’ll be helping support the full restoration process of an individual pod.

 

I would like to support the project but can’t donate £20 right now, what else can I do?

You can still donate to the project without sponsoring a seed pod. Follow this link to our Wilder Solent Appeal to donate now

Alternatively, you can give your time to the project by signing up as a Solent Seagrass Champion.

 

Where can I find more information about the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project?

You can find out more about the project, by visiting our project page.