Seagrasses are the only flowering plants that grow in marine environments, and there are currently about 60 species of them that scientists know about. These grasses have evolved from terrestrial plants that recolonized the ocean approximately 100 million years ago. Seagrasses contribute to the Earth’s marine ecosystem and are important because they provide habitat, nurseries, and food for a large number of invertebrate and vertebrate species.

This ultimately means that human survival is also largely dependent on these seagrasses remaining healthy and continuing to exist. That’s why World Seagrass Day was created. This holiday is observed annually on the 1st of March to emphasize the importance of preserving seagrasses for all of us and for future generations yet to be born.

The History of World Seagrass Day

This holiday was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022. It was created to encourage and emphasize the importance of seagrass conservation efforts. Seagrass meadows are important for the survival of the global ecosystem and provide a habitat for thousands of marine animals.

They also produce oxygen, help to clean coastal waters, provide a buffer against ocean acidification, and are an important carbon sink. If all of the seagrass meadows were to suddenly disappear from the oceans, then humanity would have a serious problem. And that’s why it’s important for everyone who can to observe this holiday.

Some Important Facts About Seagrasses

To help people observe this holiday, we’re going to share some facts about seagrasses below. We hope the following facts are entertaining for sure, but we also hope that they’re informative and will encourage people to join the effort to protect seagrass meadows.

• Seagrasses require lots of light for photosynthesis, so they only grow at depths that receive sufficient light.
• Seagrasses are literally the foundation upon which many marine ecosystems are built.
• One acre of seagrass can support over a million individual organisms.
• Seagrasses are disappearing at the rate of two football fields every hour.

Observing World Seagrass Day

One of the first things anyone should do when this holiday comes around every year is to learn more about seagrasses and their role in the environment. After all, before we can learn how to protect them better than we have been, we need to understand them. This is also a good day to support some of the various seagrass charities that exist.

Two of our favorites are Project Seagrass and the Seagrass Grow Program by the Ocean Foundation. And finally, the last thing a person can do to support local seagrasses is to spread the word about it. And one of the most effective ways to spread the word is to use the hashtag #WorldSeagrassDay on social media.