Since 2010, Project Watershed has been actively restoring eelgrass, kelp, and salt marsh habitats. Our first eelgrass restoration took place in 2010 with a small pilot project north of the Royston Wrecks, where divers and shore-based volunteers planted 300 eelgrass shoots. Follow-up surveys have shown this effort to be highly successful, with eelgrass coverage increasing by more than 300 percent. Building on this success, we have completed many additional eelgrass plantings, including a project with the Department of National Defence that added more than 2,400 shoots.

In 2014, we expanded this work to include salt marsh restoration, beginning with a 300-square-metre pilot project near the Royston Wrecks. Restoring salt marsh is more complex than eelgrass planting for several reasons. Some historic salt marsh areas have Spartina patens, an invasive plant that must be removed prior to planting salt marsh. In addition, long-term grazing by resident geese and the effects of tides have altered the shape and elevation of the shoreline in many locations. Before salt marsh plants can be re-established, sediment often needs to be rebuilt to the appropriate height so plants can grow there.

In 2016, we also began studying and restoring kelp beds. From these research efforts we are improving our understanding of factors limiting bull kelp distribution as well as developing and testing methods for restoring this important nearshore habitat in local coastal waters.