Washington's high-tech solution for seagrass restoration

Robots to the rescue: WA’s high-tech solution for seagrass restoration

DNR is testing a new tool to restore critical eelgrass meadows in the Puget Sound: a robot nicknamed "Grasshopper."

LONGBRANCH, Wash. - One of Washington’s most ambitious climate protection projects is taking place beneath the surface of Puget Sound, where the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is experimenting with a robot to restore critical eelgrass meadows.

Eelgrass can sequester up to three times the amount of carbon as a typical forest, but the region has seen a significant decline in these underwater forests.

"We’ve lost over 60% of our kelp and eelgrass in Puget Sound," said Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz. "In the South Sound, we’ve lost 90%."

Eelgrass is vital to the health of marine ecosystems, providing shelter for crabs and salmon, hunting grounds for seals, all while helping remove carbon from the atmosphere.

In her seven years serving as Public Lands Commissioner, Hilary Franz has been leading restoration efforts of both bull kelp and eelgrass, but until this week, she had never been below the surface to see the struggling submerged forests herself.

"You could actually see the huge areas where we’ve lost that critical kelp and eelgrass," she said during a recent visit to Joemma State Park.

Franz emphasized that while planting trees to combat climate change has gained traction, few people understand the importance of underwater restoration.

"We’ve had a forest crisis upland for a long time," Franz said. "We have the same forest health crisis under our waters in our submerged forests."

Technology turning the tide

DNR is testing a new tool to accelerate the restoration process: a robot nicknamed "Grasshopper." Created by ReefGen, the remotely operated vehicle is designed to plant seagrass shoots and seeds at a much faster rate than human divers. Chris Oakes, Reefgen’s CEO, explained the robot’s capabilities.

"Diving is really expensive and in many cases not allowed and so that has limited the restoration effort to shallow water," shared Oakes. "The tide has to be low, it needs to be daylight and all that. So this now unlocks the opportunity to plant well after the tides come back in."

The robot is equipped with multiple cameras, operated by a game controller, and can dive deeper and operate longer than human divers, who are restricted by tide and light conditions. The process involves loading eelgrass shoots into the robot, attaching them to small metal spikes, and then sending the machine off to plant the shoots on the ocean floor.

"We call it the Grasshopper because it plants, then hop-scoots forward a few centimeters, and plants again," Oakes said.

Image 1 of 4

▼

A vision for the future

Washington’s DNR is currently testing Grasshopper as part of an experimental program, hoping it will become a critical tool in the effort to restore Puget Sound’s eelgrass meadows. Similar robots developed by ReefGen have been used in coral and seagrass restoration projects off the coast of Catalina Island, Hawaii, and Indonesia.

Franz is optimistic about the robot’s potential, but acknowledges change is coming to her office. In 2022, the state legislature passed a bill requiring the restoration of 10,000 acres of kelp and eelgrass in Puget Sound, ensuring the continuation of this work even after she leaves office.

"We passed a bill to make it a statutory requirement," Franz said. "Now, it’s written into law."

Even if her successor does not prioritize these restoration efforts, the Kelp and Eelgrass Plan will remain.

A large portion of funding for this ambitious endeavor comes from the Climate Commitment Act, the suite of laws that has sparked controversy for raising gas prices. The act is currently under threat, with an initiative on the upcoming November ballot to repeal it.

"My hope is that people will now understand the urgency and stay committed to it," Franz said.