The Importance of Eelgrass

Emma Barry is an illustrator from Freeport, Maine. Growing up in Maine allowed Emma to develop a strong connection to the natural world, which informs much of her work. She finds illustration to be a great communication tool, using it to tell stories and spread information about topics she cares about, like environmental conservation. In the future, she hopes to continue finding ways to learn about and appreciate nature within her art practice.

Eelgrass is an incredibly important seagrass to the health of coastal ecosystems like Casco Bay. During my research process, I learned about the decline of eelgrass beds and restoration efforts. My goal for this zine was to highlight what makes eelgrass so valuable. This way, people would understand why the declines are concerning and why restoration efforts are important. I chose the zine format because it is a quick, engaging way to convey information. Zines are printed on a single sheet of paper so they are easy to duplicate and distribute, which is key when trying to spread a message.