Eelgrass is not a grass—it is a flowering plant that lives underwater and produces pollen and seeds that look like grains of rice, and its leaves can be as long as 6 feet. The scientific name for eelgrass is Zostera marina. It is the dominant seagrass species in the northeastern United States. In Massachusetts it forms underwater meadows in shallow bays at depths up to 15-25 feet.
Healthy eelgrass meadows act as a nursery, habitat, and feeding ground for fish, crabs, lobsters, and many other species. These meadows provide a multitude of ecosystem services including protecting the shoreline from heightened wave action especially during storms, and improving water clarity and quality. As the world increasingly focuses on strategies to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, seagrass is also being recognized as a powerful carbon storage system. All of these services are critical, especially with a changing climate.