An important indicator of the Bay’s health, native eelgrass is underwater vegetation that provides vital habitat for fish and invertebrates, creating a food chain that connects to shorebirds and marine mammals. Eelgrass was once abundant in the Bay, but has significantly dwindled from dredging and filling over the past 150 years.

Unique Seed Buoy Technique Working to Restore Native Eelgrass

Since 2005, Save The Bay has partnered with various organizations, including NOAA and San Francisco State University, to restore native eelgrass to San Francisco Bay. Three techniques have been used in the restoration process – seed buoys that transplant eelgrass seeds from a donor site to a restoration bed, broadcast seeding and TERF (transplanting eelgrass remotely with frames) frames that are used to transfer whole eelgrass plants to a restoration site. Save

The Bay’s current eelgrass work, in conjunction with Dr. Katharyn Boyer’s lab at San Francisco State University’s Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, monitors and studies the three different techniques to document their effectiveness in repopulating the Bay’s diminished eelgrass beds. Recent observations show that all three techniques are working to increase new establishment of seedlings at restoration sites, and the seed buoy technique is working the best.

Many Partners Work to Restore Eelgrass
Save The Bay involves community volunteers to support Dr. Boyer’s eelgrass monitoring and restoration work. This project is collaboration between San Francisco State University, the NOAA Restoration Center, NOAA CICEET Program, the California Coastal Conservancy, Restore America’s Estuaries, Richardson Bay Audubon and Save The Bay.