Laura Govers

I study the restoration of seagrass. The Netherlands once had extensive seagrass beds and a thriving seagrass industry. The plants were used for dyke reinforcement, mattress filling, isolation material and fertiliser. The grass holds the soil in place, dampens waves and provides food and shelter for all kinds of animals. Due to disease, the Afsluitdijk, eutrophication and disturbance, this large seagrass (Zostera marina) has largely disappeared from the Wadden Sea and also in similar shallow coastal seas around the world. Near the island of Griend, we have succeeded in planting modest new seagrass beds using young seagrass plants.