Marine Meadows Workshop: Tiana Bayside Facility

Funded by and in partnership with the South Shore Esturary Reserve Program, CCE Marine Program will be hosting a Marine Meadows Workshop on 11/5/24 at Tiana Bayside Facility, as part of our Hampton Bays Stewardship Site. Support from the SSER has enabled the creation of our to educate the public about climate change and how eelgrass and other habitats can help solve this global problem.

Stewards will help CCE staff weave live eelgrass shoots into biodegradable burlap planting units. Once stocked, these eelgrass "tortillas" will be planted at our restoration sites by CCE Marine's Dive Team where they will provide essential habitat for finfish and shellfish, and help improve water quality and coastal resiliency of our shorelines. All are welcome, but activity is best suited for those aged 12+.

About CCE's Marine Meadows Program: The main purpose of the CCE Eelgrass Program is to restore and monitor eelgrass, our dominant local seagrass species. Eelgrass meadows provide essential habitat for many species of finfish and shellfish during part or all stages of life. Due to the structure and protection they provide, eelgrass meadows are the most biodiverse marine habitats in our region. These meadows also help to prevent or lessen erosion from storm events and help control turbidity by slowing currents and settling particulates from the water column. Eelgrass meadows also capture excess nutrients, such as nitrogen, and sequester carbon to combat ocean acidification and climate change. Unfortunately, eelgrass populations have declined dramatically over the past 75 years due to many reasons, and without our help, will not likely make a comeback in the near future as there are no ready sources of propagules (seeds or adult shoots) to naturally vegetate these areas. This situation is called propagule limitation and it is the basis for our restoration work. The more seeding and planting we can can do, the better the outcome for our local marine meadows, so we encourage you to get involved by participating in our workshops and contributing to these important efforts.

Host or Publisher Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program