{
  "id": 16887220,
  "title": "Can we regrow damaged seagrass meadows?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/can-we-regrow-damaged-seagrass-meadows-16887220",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T10:51:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW English (Top Stories)",
    "slug": "dw-english-top-stories",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/can-we-regrow-damaged-seagrass-meadows/a-79617925?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-xml-mrss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Six divers work in the chilly Baltic Sea waters near Dahme, a northern German coastal town. They cautiously retrieve seagrass shoots from a donor meadow, taking care not to damage the roots. Only a few shoots are taken from each spot, which will later be planted in a new meadow area. A suitable location for the young plants has been chosen, requiring sandy sediment, protection from waves and currents, and ample light and oxygen for growth. Myriam Spicka, head of the Seagrass Conservation NGO, notes the significant changes in seagrass meadows over her three decades of diving. Marine ecologist Thorsten Reusch from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center explains that around 60% of the Baltic coast's seagrass meadows have vanished. However, the decline has halted. Seagrass meadows serve as vital habitats for various marine life, enhance water quality, mitigate coastal erosion, and store carbon in the seabed at a rate 30-50 times faster than forests. Some regions, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, harbor more seagrass, which can significantly impact their carbon balance. In the Baltic, seagrass meadows are among the sea's most valuable habitats, providing shelter for wildlife, stabilizing the seabed, and acting as natural filters for particles and nutrients. Reinhard Helbig, co-founder of the start-up ZosteraTec, aims to simplify seagrass restoration through his work. He collects washed-up fresh seagrass shoots on the beach and multiplies them in his aquaculture facility. The marine saplings are then planted on a support, bound with biodegradable thread, and laid on the seabed, reducing the need for underwater work. Researchers at GEOMAR are also exploring seed-based restoration methods, emphasizing the importance of genetic diversity for future meadow growth. After a year, divers assess the planted meadow's density, growth density, and overall development, comparing it with the donor meadow to determine its success. The results show a dense and healthy seagrass meadow in Germany's Baltic waters, planted in 2021, indicating a promising future for seagrass restoration.",
  "summary": "Seagrass protects coasts, shelters thousands of species and stores CO2. But some 30% of this valuable ecosystem has disappeared since the late 19th century. Can we bring it back?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}