Singapore's first sea grass restoration project

From L to R: Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, CEO, NParks; Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development & Information and National Development; Ms Helen Wong, Group CEO, OCBC; and Dr Theresa Su, Lecturer, NUS.

How Singapore's "Lungs of the Sea" Got a Second Chance

Beneath the waves just off Singapore's coast, invisible to most city dwellers rushing past on ferries and cargo ships, lies an ecosystem that punches far above its weight in the fight against climate change. Seagrass meadows, often mistaken for seaweed or dismissed as "just grass underwater," are among the planet's most efficient carbon sinks, storing carbon up to 40 times more effectively than terrestrial forests. Yet more than 45% of Singapore's seagrass meadows have disappeared over the last five decades, victims of coastal development, water pollution, and the relentless expansion of one of the world's busiest ports. Now, in a first for the island nation, OCBC Bank and the National Parks Board (NParks) have launched Singapore's first seagrass restoration project, a three-year, nearly million-dollar effort to bring these underwater forests back from the brink. But restoring seagrass isn't as simple as planting seeds in the sand. The project faces steep challenges, from Singapore's murky, fast-moving waters to a fundamental gap in scientific knowledge about what makes tropical seagrass thrive.

Why seagrass matters (and why it took so long to restore)

For decades, Singapore's conservation efforts focused on charismatic ecosystems. Mangroves with their stilt roots, coral reefs teeming with colorful fish, rainforest canopies echoing with bird calls. Seagrass, by comparison, remained in the shadows. It doesn't look particularly dramatic, it's hard to access without getting wet, and most people don't realize it exists. Yet seagrass meadows provide some of the most critical ecosystem services on the planet.

They provide coastal protection and habitats for marine biodiversity. The strong anchoring roots trap and stabilize sediments, improving water quality and clarity while reducing erosion and buffering coastlines against storms. Seagrass meadows function as nurseries for juvenile marine animals, including crabs, shrimp, and fish, and provide food for herbivores like the dugong, Singapore's native but now locally extinct marine mammal. They're also blue carbon habitats. Although seagrass covers only 0.2% of the world's ocean floor, it stores up to 18% of oceanic carbon.

But Singapore's seagrass has been quietly vanishing. Coastal development, land reclamation, dredging, and pollution from urban runoff have degraded water quality and destroyed shallow coastal habitats where seagrass thrives. Until now, large-scale restoration had never been attempted in Singapore. One major reason is the stability of sediment, which can often bury or dislodge newly transplanted seagrass. Past transplantation efforts in tropical waters have suffered low success rates, and scientists lacked a clear understanding of what factors affect seagrass survival in Singapore's challenging underwater conditions, murky waters with strong currents and fluctuating sedimentation.

Announced in September 2024, the OCBC Seagrass Restoration Project is fully funded by OCBC Bank and involves researchers from NParks, the National University of Singapore (NUS), and the St John's Island National Marine Laboratory. The three-year project aims to fill critical knowledge gaps, develop innovative transplantation methods, and quantify the tangible and intangible benefits of restoration.

What the project is tackling (science, survival, and citizen engagement)

Seagrass restoration is more complex than it sounds. You can't just dig up seagrass from a healthy meadow, plop it down somewhere else, and expect it to flourish. Tropical seagrass reproduction and ecology have been largely under-researched in Southeast Asia, leaving scientists with more questions than answers. The OCBC Seagrass Restoration Project is taking a multifaceted approach to crack the code.

Understanding reproduction and flowering: There is currently little information on what triggers reproductive processes in tropical seagrass, and only a few species have been observed to flower in Singapore. Regular surveys will be conducted in the first two years to document natural flowering and fruiting patterns across multiple species. This data will help inform conservation strategies and identify optimal conditions for seagrass propagation.
Developing innovative transplantation methods: The project will experiment with innovative ways to transplant and anchor seagrass in Singapore's surrounding coastal waters to improve current methods, which tend to have low success rates due to challenging underwater conditions. The project aims to develop and test novel materials that can be used to anchor seagrass transplants. If successful, these new methods could dramatically improve the long-term survival of transplanted seagrass, not just in Singapore but across the region.
Quantifying the benefits: Beyond just measuring how much seagrass survives, researchers will also study how restoration increases carbon sequestration and species diversity. They'll conduct surveys and targeted interviews to document changes in awareness and attitudes among volunteers who participate in restoration efforts, helping build a case for continued investment in seagrass conservation.
Engaging citizen scientists. OCBC staff volunteers and members of the public will be invited to volunteer as part of the project, with opportunities to assist in the seagrass transplantation process and conduct surveys to record flowering in seagrass meadows. This hands-on involvement not only multiplies the project's workforce but also raises public awareness about the importance of seagrass.

Dr Samantha Lai checking for flowering seagrass at an outdoor aquarium on St John's Island.

Infographic of seagrass locations Singapore from the straits times

Where restoration will happen (and why location matters)

Singapore's waters are home to 12 species of seagrass, found in shallow waters along both northern and southern coasts. In the north, seagrass meadows are typically found near mangroves, while in the south, they're associated with coral reefs, predominantly around the Southern Islands. The three largest seagrass meadows in Singapore are at Chek Jawa Wetlands on Pulau Ubin, the western coast of Pulau Semakau, and Cyrene Reef, a large patch reef off Pasir Panjang.

While the project hasn't publicly announced specific transplantation sites yet, researchers are identifying locations where seagrass meadows are in decline. Long-term monitoring data from TeamSeagrass, a volunteer group that has tracked Singapore's seagrass since 2007, shows mixed trends. Chek Jawa has seen increases in seagrass abundance and a shift from colonizing species to more stable foundational species like Cymodocea rotundata. Cyrene Reef has remained relatively stable, with some fluctuations. But Pulau Semakau has experienced slow declines, largely driven by shrinking populations of Cymodocea species.

Choosing the right restoration sites is critical. Seagrass needs shallow, protected waters with sufficient sunlight, stable sediment, and decent water quality. Sites must also be accessible for researchers and volunteers to conduct regular monitoring and maintenance. The goal is to start restoring seagrass meadows within the first year of the project so there's time to track progress and adjust methods as needed.

What scientists and authorities are doing (and why it's still experimental)

This is uncharted territory for Singapore. While seagrass restoration projects have been attempted in temperate regions like the United States and Europe with some success, tropical seagrass ecosystems are fundamentally different. They grow faster, have different reproductive strategies, and face unique environmental stressors. What works in Florida or the Mediterranean may not work in Singapore's turbid, high-traffic waters.

The research team is taking a rigorous, adaptive approach. Early efforts will focus on small-scale pilot transplants to test different anchoring materials, transplantation techniques, and site conditions. Researchers will monitor transplant survival, growth rates, and reproductive success over time, adjusting methods based on what works and what doesn't. This iterative process is essential because large-scale restoration based on untested methods would be a costly gamble.

NParks and its partners are also coordinating with ongoing monitoring efforts by TeamSeagrass, whose volunteers have been tracking seagrass health quarterly since 2007. This long-term dataset provides invaluable context for understanding whether restoration efforts are actually making a difference or just temporarily masking ongoing declines.

But challenges remain. Singapore's waters are some of the murkiest in the region, thanks to constant shipping traffic, dredging, and sediment runoff from urban development. High turbidity reduces sunlight penetration, which limits photosynthesis and slows seagrass growth. Strong currents and wave action can dislodge transplants before their roots take hold. And climate change is adding another layer of uncertainty, warming waters and potentially altering the delicate balance of nutrients, salinity, and oxygen that seagrass depends on.

What you can do (practical ways to support seagrass recovery)

You don't need a marine biology degree to help protect Singapore's seagrass. Here's how you can contribute.

Join citizen science efforts: TeamSeagrass welcomes volunteers to help monitor seagrass meadows at Chek Jawa, Pulau Semakau, and Cyrene Reef. Quarterly monitoring sessions involve wading into shallow waters to measure seagrass cover, identify species, and record environmental conditions. It's hands-on, educational, and directly supports conservation efforts. Check NParks' volunteer portals or nature group websites for upcoming opportunities.
Practice responsible coastal recreation: If you're kayaking, snorkeling, or exploring tidal flats, avoid stepping on seagrass. The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) are easily damaged when trampled and take a long time to recover. Anchor boats away from seagrass meadows, and never pull up seagrass to examine it.
Report seagrass sightings: If you encounter seagrass in the wild, document it with photos and GPS coordinates, and share your observations with NParks or nature groups. Citizen-reported sightings help researchers track seagrass distribution and identify new sites that may need protection.
Reduce pollution and runoff: Water quality is one of the biggest factors affecting seagrass survival. Simple actions like properly disposing of chemicals, reducing plastic use, and supporting stormwater management initiatives can improve coastal water quality over time.
Spread awareness: Most Singaporeans have never heard of seagrass, let alone understand its importance. Share what you've learned with friends, family, and on social media. The more people who understand why seagrass matters, the stronger the public mandate for conservation funding and policy action.

Final note (small plants, outsized impact)

The OCBC Seagrass Restoration Project isn't just about planting grass underwater. It's about rewriting the story of how Singapore engages with its marine ecosystems. For too long, seagrass has been invisible, overlooked in favor of more charismatic habitats. But as climate change accelerates and coastal ecosystems face mounting pressures, seagrass is emerging as a critical ally, a blue carbon powerhouse, a biodiversity haven, and a coastal protector all rolled into one humble plant.

The project's success will depend on science, funding, community engagement, and a bit of luck. But if it works, Singapore could become a model for tropical seagrass restoration across Southeast Asia, demonstrating that even heavily urbanized nations can reverse ecological decline when they commit to understanding, protecting, and restoring the nature that remains.

Seagrass doesn't ask for much, just clean water, stable sediment, and a chance to grow. In return, it offers us cleaner coasts, richer fisheries, and a fighting chance against rising seas and warming climates. The question isn't whether we can afford to restore seagrass. It's whether we can afford not to.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse