Exploring the work of Ragus sustainability partner Project Seagrass

Nurturing and expanding seagrass savannas around the coastal waters of Great Britain is one of the core activities of Project Seagrass. Underpinning this activity is having a supply of healthy seeds and seedlings. In late 2023, Ragus ESG Manager Henry Eastick visited Project Seagrass’s Bridgend headquarters and shares what he found out.

European seagrass is a flowering plant with an underwater lifecycle. As a flowering plant, it mostly reproduces with seeds, but also produces rhizomes, roots that spread the grass under the seabed. The pollen is transported from plant to plant via the water column. The pollinated seeds grow into delicate seedlings that can be vulnerable in their early stages of life. 

Harvesting the seeds from seagrass meadows is a fun group activity open to volunteers, and I helped harvest seeds from the plants during a visit in August. Scientists at Project Seagrass monitor the health of existing meadows to ensure seed collections remain sustainable and without affecting the meadow’s ability to reproduce and grow.

This process is becoming partially automated, with an experimental seagrass seed harvester, which glides over the seagrass meadow capturing seeds from the seed pods at the tips of the seagrass plants. The harvester has the potential to significantly increase the number of seeds harvested.

My update in August also confirmed that we’ve been accepted as sponsors for the second year running. But in addition to our cash support and volunteering, we also donate retired intermediate bulk containers (IBCs).  

The retired IBCs, used for delivering thousands of tonnes of sugar syrups to our customers, would usually end their days in storage before recycling or disposal. 

But the Project Seagrass team has extended their life by using them as perfect aeration tanks where seeds separate away from the decaying organic matter while being kept fresh and viable. And reusing the tanks makes a real contribution to the circular economy.

The Project Seagrass team and volunteers collect the seeds from shallow seagrass beds, but a major challenge is seed viability – ensuring seed survival is just as important as the collection. This had been a challenge due to capacity and ability to maintain water quality on scale.

The IBCs have enabled the Project Seagrass team to create an upscaled automated seawater circulation system. The IBC size and plastic construction means they can be fitted with pipes and valves providing a steady supply of fresh seawater and aeration improving seed viability rates. 

This allows the organic matter to decay, releasing the seeds which then settle to the bottom of the tanks ready for collection. All the while being aerated to help maintain viability. More healthy seedlings mean more seagrass meadows can be replanted. 

And finally, being heavy duty plastic with stainless steel fittings, the IBCs are resistant to seawater corrosion and easy to clean ready for the next crop.

The IBCs have enabled process innovation at Project Seagrass, which in turn has helped achieve a record one million seeds collected and processed last year. This means more seagrass beds replanted and ultimately more carbon captured from the atmosphere into organic matter.

Our dedication to the environment, society and governance (ESG) and our corporate philanthropy steers our business. Do you know a charity or community programme we could support? Contact us using the form on our charities and communities page to find out how partnerships work. To see more partner news and updates, follow Ragus’ charity and community page on LinkedIn.