EELGRASS

Zostera marina

Support Eelgrass Restoration by Donating to our Habitat Fund

3% Cover the Fee

Contributions at all levels will be directed toward our Habitat restoration, research, and education initiatives. Back to the Bays is an Initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, a registered 501(c)(3). Our EIN is 11-6081424 and contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow

Help us restore eelgrass meadows!

  • $50 ~ Weaves 50 eelgrass shoot into 5 burlap tortillas

  • $100 ~ Helps video monitoring of a restored meadow

Eelgrass produces oxygen, prevents erosion, sequesters carbon, and provides essential habitat to a diversity of marine fish and invertebrates. Volunteers weave live shoots into burlap “tortillas” for transplanting by our dive team. Learn more about Species Adoptions

Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow Mug Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow Mug
Quick View
Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow Mug
$50.00

Help our dive team and volunteers re-establish eelgrass meadows in local bays in need of habitat restoration.

Your $50 contribution helps weave 50 eelgrass shoot into 5 burlap tortillas.

As a thank you gift, please enjoy this mug, depicting the Species of the Eelgrass Meadow - featuring artwork produced for our new Long Island Coastal + Marine Field Guide, by CCE Marine resident artist Carolyn Munaco.

Mugs are printed on demand, and will be automatically shipped for free, to the address provided. If you would like 100% of your donation to directly support Back to the Bays eelgrass restoration efforts, you can opt out of the girt, by making a tax-deductible donation to our Habitat Fund at backtothebays.org/eelgrass

Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T
Quick View
Adopt an Eelgrass Meadow T
$100.00

Help our dive team and volunteers re-establish eelgrass meadows in local bays in need of habitat restoration.

Your $100 contribution helps support video monitoring of a restored meadow.

As a thank you gift, please enjoy this organic cotton T-shirt, depicting the Species of the Eelgrass Meadow - featuring artwork produced for our new Long Island Coastal + Marine Field Guide, by CCE Marine resident artist Carolyn Munaco.

T-shirts are printed on demand, and will be automatically shipped for free, to the address provided. If you would like 100% of your donation to directly support Back to the Bays eelgrass restoration efforts, you can opt out of the gift, by making a tax-deductible donation to our Habitat Fund at backtothebays.org/eelgrass

Eelgrass Blogs

Featured
Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers at Hampton Bays Middle School
Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers at Hampton Bays Middle School

CCE Marine staff visiting Hampton Bays Middle School’s entire 6th grade to connect students with oyster reef, eelgrass and coastal habitat restoration!

This work has been funded in part through our Town of Southampton Community Preservation Fund Water Quality Improvement grant.

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It’s Eelgrass Planting Season!
It’s Eelgrass Planting Season!

As we approach the colder fall months, our Habitat Team is getting ready to plant eelgrass in our existing restoration meadows, as well as some exciting new locations they’ve been scouting! Thanks to funding from the South Shore Estuary Reserve Program and Town of Southampton Community Preservation Fund

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Tiana Bayside Marine Camps ~ Summer 2026
Tiana Bayside Marine Camps ~ Summer 2026

Celebrating another successful season of marine science and art programming at Tiana Bayside Facility!

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Marsh Restoration Rafts update
Marsh Restoration Rafts update

Back to the Bays intern, Rachel Kapllani, reflects on the conclusion of her marsh restoration raft research with us this summer!

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Marsh Restoration Rafts - a summer 2026 intern project
Marsh Restoration Rafts - a summer 2026 intern project

Back to the Bays intern, Rachel Kaplani, completed her senior thesis work with us this summer 2026. Curious about the interactions soil minerals, nutrients, and microorganisms have with plants and their root systems, Rachel has been developing and experimenting with growing methods for cultivating marsh grass, including floating “Restoration Rafts,” which allow grass roots to take up excess nutrients directly from our bays as they grow.

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Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers ~ year in review
Reef Raisers + Meadow Makers ~ year in review
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Blue Carbon ~ Mitigating climate change by restoring coastal habitats
Blue Carbon ~ Mitigating climate change by restoring coastal habitats

Funded by and in partnership with the South Shore Estuary Reserve Program, CCE Marine has been able to continue restoring “Blue Carbon” habitats, like eelgrass and marsh grass. Learn about how Blue Carbon habitats help mitigate climate change.

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Seahorse Hotel Workshop at Tiana Bayside Facility
Seahorse Hotel Workshop at Tiana Bayside Facility
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Seahorse Hotel Network Launched!  
Seahorse Hotel Network Launched!  

Kim Manzo, Seahorse + Eelgrass specialist, reflects on the launch of our new Seahorse Hotel initiative, providing stable habitat structure in the absence of the eelgrass seahorses depend on.

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Plant and Paddle: With our Friends at Rooted Hospitality Group
Plant and Paddle: With our Friends at Rooted Hospitality Group
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Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide
Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide
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North Fork Polar Bears Making A Difference
North Fork Polar Bears Making A Difference
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“The Value of Stillness” - Mindfulness Monday Marsh Walk
“The Value of Stillness” - Mindfulness Monday Marsh Walk

“The Value of Stillness” - Mindfulness Monday Marsh Walk

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Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach, Sag Harbor
Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach, Sag Harbor

Learn what it’s like to attend a Marine Meadows eelgrass workshop and how the work of our marine stewards contributes to the restoration of this important habitat.

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Meet the Marine Team: Christine Tordahl
Meet the Marine Team: Christine Tordahl
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May was for the Meadows
May was for the Meadows
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Eelgrass News

Featured
Students Construct Seahorse Hotels- The Southampton Press
Students Construct Seahorse Hotels- The Southampton Press

Shelter Island School District and Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program have teamed up to launch the “Seahorse Hotel Project,” an experiential learning initiative focused on marine conservation.

Full Article

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‘Seahorse hotels’ to anchor new Southold coastal restoration project - North Fork Sun
‘Seahorse hotels’ to anchor new Southold coastal restoration project - North Fork Sun

At a May 7 workshop at Cedar Beach, Back to the Bays aquaculture specialist and stewardship site manager Kate Rossi-Snook described the bigger picture — a future stitched together by dozens of strategically-chosen restoration zones throughout the East End estuary.

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Polar bears dive into eelgrass restoration project - The Suffolk Times
Polar bears dive into eelgrass restoration project - The Suffolk Times

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine program held a coastal resiliency workshop recently to teach community members how to restore local waters by creating and planting eelgrass meadows in the waters off the North Fork.

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Cornell Cooperative Extension To Host Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach - 27 East, The Sag Harbor Press
Cornell Cooperative Extension To Host Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach - 27 East, The Sag Harbor Press

With funding support from the community, CCE Marine will host a Marine Meadows Workshop on October 21, at Havens Beach, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Eelgrass serves as a habitat for oysters. Oysters help filter and keep our waterways clean.

Full Article

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