Future Ecologies [HYPHAEDELITY] Eric Higgs x Laura Govers — Seagrass Restoration on a Moving Island
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Jan 15, 2026 
In a captivating discussion, Laura Govers, a marine conservation professor, shares her innovative approaches to seagrass restoration in the dynamic Wadden Sea. She reveals how low-tech solutions and a caulking gun method are revitalizing eelgrass meadows. The conversation dives into the challenges posed by climate change and public invisibility of marine habitats. Laura also introduces the concept of 'wholescapes' for better ecosystem integration and reflects on the potential of rewilding and using nature-based solutions like 'tree reefs.' This is a hopeful exploration of marine restoration!
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Landing On A Moving Island
- Laura Govers describes arriving at the tiny moving Isle of Griend by boat and wading across shallow tidal flats to reach it.
- The island is a remote 60-hectare bird-breeding site with one tree and a bird warden house, revealing how intimate fieldwork can be.
Mobility Versus Management Trade-Off
- Griend historically moved naturally five to ten meters per year by sediment redistribution during storms.
- Dutch management and sand deposition fixed the island's position, trading mobility for stability and protected ecological value.
Failed Reefs, Surprising Meadows
- Laura recounts experimenting with artificial mussel matrices and seeding eelgrass behind them, with initial failures and later sheltered successes.
- After repeated seeding efforts, a sheltered northeast site unexpectedly took off in 2018 and continued expanding.