Zurich Municipal are proud to be contributing to restoring our nation's sea beds
11/17/2022
Zurich Municipal are proud to be making a donation of more than £30,000 over three years to the Marine Conservation Society.
Zurich funding will contribute to protecting and restoring sea beds around Falmouth, Plymouth and the Solent, among other locations. The current and future seagrass within these areas will be able to store some 1,127 tonnes of carbon each year1.
What is seagrass?
Seagrass is a flowering marine plant found in shallow and sheltered coastal areas – down to a depth of 10-15 metres. They often grow in large groups, likening the appearance of an underwater meadow.
There are four species of seagrass which grow in the UK: two species of tasselweeds and two zostera species, commonly known as eelgrass.
Why is seagrass so important?
Seagrass has the potential to absorb huge amounts of carbon dissolved in our seas. Similar to how trees take carbon from the air, seagrass takes carbon from the water to build their leaves and roots.
In fact, healthy seagrass beds can absorb around a tenth of the ocean’s carbon each year, while only covering 0.1% of the ocean floor2. It is estimated that seagrass can absorb carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests3.
In addition, seagrass is a hotspot for biodiversity, providing habitats for many endangered species, including the UK’s short snouted seahorse and stalked jellyfish.
These are just two reasons why seagrass is one of our most important natural solutions to the climate crisis.
Over the last century, however, it is estimated that 92% of our seagrass has been lost due to disease, dredging and pollution4.
The Marine Conservation Society works to help protect and restore the UK’s seagrass meadows and take action to fight for the future of our ocean.
Get involved
If you would like to get involved in the great work of the Marine Conservation Society, please click here: What you can do, where you can locate your local beach clean, as well as get information on fundraising and events, and other resources.
If you would like to know more about how Zurich Municipal works for a sustainable future, then check out our Sustainability hub.
1According to the MCS blue carbon report, seagrass fixes and stores an estimated average 0.83 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year: https://www.mcsuk.org/ocean-emergency/climate-change/blue-carbon/
4https://www.mcsuk.org/news/protecting-seagrass-in-plymouth-sound/
Photo: Paul Naylor
