The city of Gloucester’s wastewater improvement project involved the dredging of approximately a half acre of eelgrass habitat in Gloucester Harbor to locate a viable combined sewer overflow (CSO) through Pavilion Beach. While the CSO construction will improve water quality in Gloucester Harbor, the intentional removal of eelgrass habitat was a concern. Eelgrass, Zostera marina, is an underwater marine plant that creates one of the most valuable shallow water habitats in Massachusetts. Eelgrass habitat supports an abundant diversity of marine life, stabilizes seafloor sediments and adjacent shorelines, helps maintain water quality, and is a critical component of the marine food web. However, the population of eelgrass is severely diminished from historic levels, and continues to steadily decline throughout its range along the Atlantic coast, including Massachusetts waters.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sea Grant College Program, city of Gloucester, Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop a creative response to the planned impacts to the eelgrass bed. The goal of this initiative was to save eelgrass in the project area and raise awareness of eelgrass habitat. Partners combined their resources and expertise to:

(1) Facilitate ongoing eelgrass restoration in Boston Harbor.

(2) Study and develop methodology to store eelgrass for future restoration.

(3) Support local research and education programs.

(4) Develop interpretative information on eelgrass habitat and the CSO project.

Two community events were organized to harvest plants in the area that was to be impacted by the CSO project, both of which required substantial coordination between project partners and volunteers.

First, in early August 2006, approximately 8,000 eelgrass shoots were harvested from Pavilion Beach to supplement DMF’s ongoing restoration program in Boston Harbor. Eelgrass shoots are typically collected from “donor” beds to transplant to Boston Harbor. Transplanting plants from Pavilion Beach eliminated the need for harvesting at the donor bed for this restoration effort and saved eelgrass from Gloucester that would have ultimately been destroyed. The Gloucester project involved a team of divers harvesting eelgrass in the CSO project impact area and transferring the eelgrass to shore, where it was then sorted and counted by volunteers in preparation for transportation to Boston Harbor. DMF divers planted the eelgrass in Boston Harbor the following day.

The second event was organized with the goal of creating an eelgrass bank at the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center (GMHC). To create this new eelgrass bank, project partners researched methods to store and grow eelgrass and constructed infrastructure to maintain the plants. Engineers and scientists worked together on design and logistics of a hydroponic (no substrate) raft system and a flow-through outdoor tank to hold eelgrass shoots.

The raft and tank systems were populated with an additional 8,000 shoots harvested from the CSO project impact area at the end of September, 2006. Eelgrass was weaved into the raft, which was secured between two piers, and planted in the tank at GMHC. Interpretative information was developed to explain the project and is displayed at GMHC and Pavilion Beach to continuously educate the interested public about eelgrass habitat.

The hands-on experience for students and citizens provided real-life application of science and resource management and demonstrated the value of eelgrass habitat to the ocean environment. Students identified creatures found in eelgrass during the field events and continue to help the project by researching the ecology of eelgrass in recirculating aquarium systems within their classrooms.

Survival and growth of eelgrass are being monitored in the tank and raft by scientists from collaborating agencies. Eelgrass that survives the winter in these experimental systems will be transplanted back to the impacted area at Pavilion Beach and to other potential restoration sites in the Annisquam River. This study will help determine the feasibility of creating an eelgrass bank. Maintaining the eelgrass bank offers the opportunity to restore eelgrass habitat at Pavilion Beach with eelgrass harvested before the CSO dredging, ultimately saving this valuable resource that otherwise would be removed from Gloucester Harbor.

This project has been successful thanks to the collaboration of many partners and active public involvement. Students and teachers from regional schools, government (city, state, and federal) and non-government organization staff, and volunteers all played valuable roles. The activity on Pavilion Beach also attracted the attention of bystanders and the local newspaper, the Gloucester Times. By teaming up to save the eelgrass at Pavilion Beach, project partners demonstrated the advantage of creative, adaptive, and cooperative efforts to manage coastal resources. The interest to protect this important plant unified all of the partners. Impacts to eelgrass, particularly direct removal, are typically avoided because of the dire population status and ecological value of eelgrass. While much work is needed to save and restore eelgrass in Massachusetts, partners realized the opportunity to turn a less than ideal situation into a valuable lesson in environmental education and resource management.

For more information…

Pavilion Beach, Gloucester
www.gloucestertimes.com/local/local_story_199064415
www.gloucestertimes.com/local/local_story_271094024

DMF’s Boston Harbor Eelgrass Restoration Project
www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/eelgrass.htm

MIT Sea Grant’s Eelgrass Stewardship Project
seagrantdev.mit.edu/eelgrass

City of Gloucester
www.ci.gloucester.ma.us

Photo of sign: Brandy M.M. Wilbur
Photographs of volunteers: Kathryn Glenn