News

By Stephanie Cohen, Public Relations Specialist

March has seen a tidal wave of enthusiasm as Seagrass Awareness Month brought individuals, organizations, and communities together to celebrate and advocate for the vital role of seagrasses in our marine ecosystems. From informative webinars to hands-on restoration projects, the month was a journey filled with education and action for manatees’ critical food source.

Seagrass Awareness Month kicked off with a celebration of World Seagrass Day at the Brevard Zoo on March 1. Visitors, including a plethora of school groups, were welcomed to the zoo with educational and interactive displays focused on seagrass for the special occasion. Save the Manatee Club was present with a table focusing on being Fertilizer-Free for Manatees.

The month also included a special public webinar on seagrass and manatees. Hosted by our Manatee Biologist, Tiare Fridrich, and Senior Science and Conservation Associate, Dr. Beth Brady, the webinar aimed to raise awareness about the ecological importance of seagrasses and the threats they face with a focus on being a critical food source for manatees. You can watch the recorded webinar at savethemanatee.org/webinar.  

The month concluded when hands got dirty, and hearts got involved, as volunteers participated in building exclusion devises for the Brevard Zoo’s Restore Our Shores seagrass restoration project. These devices aim to protect newly planted seagrass beds from overgrazing by herbivores, ultimately contributing to the recovery and expansion of these underwater ecosystems. Our team of volunteers successfully made over 50 of these devices!