Nature lovers have launched an ambitious project to restore seagrass meadows in Kent after almost half were lost in the UK over the past century.

Conservationists from the charity ZSL are for the first time planting seeds from dwarf eelgrass across three county-based sites including Seasalter and Elmley Nature Reserve.

It is part of trials for the restoration of biodiversity-boosting underwater meadows.

Seagrass is the only flowering plant to grow in seawater and found gently swaying in shallow waters on coastlines across the world.

It plays an essential role within these marine ecosystems – offering food and shelter for the animals that live beside and amongst it – from seahorses to sharks.

But according to ZSL, research has shown at least 44% of seagrass has been lost from the UK coastline since 1936.

The charity’s conservation project manager, Thea Cox, said: “Seagrass seeds may be small, but each one is vital to recover this extraordinary habitat.

“Seagrass meadows provide essential nursery grounds for fish, food for birds, and habitat for a range of invertebrates – meaning they play a vital role in the health of marine habitats.

“Many seagrass species also help absorb and store carbon within their tissues and the sediment – meaning they can also play an important role in tackling climate change.”

The team have been able to carefully inject precise amounts of a mud and seed mixture into the ground using a modified sealant gun and guidance from experts in the Dutch Wadden Sea who developed this method.

Learnings from other seagrass restoration projects across the UK and Europe and from these Kent-based trials will provide important information for scaling up restoration efforts in the Thames estuary.

One of 72 seagrass species found across coasts globally - including in Scotland and the Thames Estuary - dwarf eelgrass provides essential overwintering food to birds including Brent geese, mute swans and wigeons.

Ms Cox added: “The reason we have seen such drastic declines in seagrass cover in the UK is likely a combination of factors – such as reduced water quality caused by pollution, physical disturbance of meadows and industrial development.

“Restoration work is just one part of the picture to create more and healthier seagrass beds – we also need action to address the threats, thereby protecting existing meadows and creating the conditions to maximise the chances of restoration success at scale.”

The seagrass restoration trials are part of a larger ZSL-led project called Restoring the Thamescape.

It began in 2021, with the team mapping the locations of existing seagrass meadows and oysters to understand where restoration efforts should be focused.