Tracking eelgrass and other changes around the Bay

Friends of Casco Bay has more than 400 volunteer Water Reporters, and they are playing a crucial role in helping us understand and track the changes happening across Casco Bay, particularly when it comes to eelgrass.

Ecosystems like Casco Bay are changing faster than ever, and the more robust the record of what is happening at this point in time, the more we can track those changes and use them to inspire solutions.

Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) data shows that between 2018 and 2022, eelgrass beds declined by 54% in Casco Bay. This sobering statistic launched scientists, advocates, and community members alike into action.

Friends of Casco Bay is currently part of a pilot project headed by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership to study why we are losing eelgrass and explore how we can restore beds.

Anne Wood has been documenting eelgrass at Falmouth Town Landing for the past six years as a Water Reporter. Below are four of the many photos she has posted. Her observations give us an idea of the rate and extent of the decline of this bed.

As you can see, photographs on a consistent, long-term basis help to supplement the scientific data we and our partners are collecting. Some questions that Water Reporter photos can answer are: What do the individual blades of eelgrass look like in different beds? Has the bed grown since last year? Was the bed covered in algae for any period of time this summer? Did patches of eelgrass get washed out in that storm last week?

Do you want to help Friends of Casco Bay track changes and help find solutions? You might consider becoming a Water Reporter. Learn more here.