Seagrass Team Attends Second ESRW in France

Earlier this spring, members of our seagrass team participated in the second European Seagrass Restoration Workshop (ESRW2), held in Arcachon, France. The workshop took place in the Parc naturel marin du Bassin d’Arcachon and was organised by the European Seagrass Restoration Alliance.

Set within one of Europe’s most emblematic seagrass landscapes, the event brought together researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across Europe under the theme “From Competition to Coalition: Towards a European Seagrass Restoration Alliance.” The programme featured a wide range of sessions addressing key aspects of seagrass restoration, including restoration and planting methods, nursery development, monitoring strategies and landscape-scale approaches.

Our seagrass restoration project lead, Stijn den Haan, co-hosted a session focused on stakeholder engagement, highlighting the importance of collaboration and shared ownership in successful restoration initiatives.

Beyond the formal programme, the workshop provided valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge and connect with organisations such as the Office Français de la Biodiversité and many other partners working to advance seagrass restoration across Europe.

We want to thank the organisers, hosts and fellow participants for a constructive and inspiring event. The workshop offered an enriching opportunity to learn from a wide range of projects and perspectives, and we are pleased to be part of this growing European seagrass restoration community.