Seagrass documentary & Poster premiere

This event will celebrate the premiere of the documentary 'Seagrass: The Hidden Life Beneath our Shores', alongside the launch of a new seagrasses and ditchgrasses poster by Dr Liam Morrison.

The event will take place at the University of Galway on 16 June, from 12:30 to 13:30, and is open to all members of the public.

Dr. Oliver Ó Cadhla from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment will give a short talk on nature-based solutions in Ireland’s marine and coastal areas and the Nature Restoration Regulation. Followed by Dr. Ricard J. Lilley, Chair European Seagrass Restoration Alliance, on the future of seagrass restoration in Europe. 
Dr Liam Morrison will present his seagrass research, while the director and producer of the documentary, Órla Coutin Fitzsimons, will share insights into the making of the film and the researchers and communities featured in it.  The programme will continue with a screening of the documentary, followed by an open discussion over some lunch.

The film follows researchers from the National University of Ireland, Galway, including their work within the European CLIMAREST project, as they map, study and restore seagrass meadows along Ireland's west coast. Their research offers new insight into how these fragile ecosystems can be protected and why their preservation matters for the future of the planet. Seagrass restoration highlights that healthy ecosystems cannot thrive in linear economic systems based on extraction and waste.

Seagrass meadows are among the most valuable and most overlooked natural assets on Earth. They store carbon at rates that rival terrestrial forests, support marine biodiversity, stabilise coastlines and underpin the livelihoods of fishing communities — yet they have long been absent from mainstream conversations about investing in nature. This event makes the case that blue ecosystems deserve the same attention and financial commitment as forests or wetlands, and that restoring them is not only an ecological imperative but an economic one. Supporting seagrass is a concrete, measurable investment in nature with returns that extend far beyond the shoreline.

Participants will gain insight into the conservation of Ireland's blue forests, with opportunities to discuss, exchange ideas and connect with others interested in marine ecosystem restoration, nature-positive finance and environmental protection.