Teaser: Call to Participate

In February 2026, our team will launch a new round of interviews to understand how people perceive seagrass meadows after restoration has taken place. This study follows the large survey conducted in 2020, when nearly 1 500 Mauritians shared their views on seagrasses, coastal change, and the importance of protecting lagoons.

 

This time, the focus will be on Roches Noires, where the first seagrass restoration trial was completed in 2025. By returning to the community, we hope to capture how residents, fishers, hotel operators, and other coastal users experience the changes in their lagoon since citizen outreach and restoration began. Are seagrasses seen differently now? Do people notice ecological improvements or changes in fisheries and water clarity? Has awareness grown about their role in protecting the coast?

 

The study will also explore whether local perceptions align with scientific monitoring results. Combining community insights with ecological data will provide a richer understanding of restoration outcomes and will help ensure that future restoration efforts are socially supported, culturally relevant, and environmentally effective.

 

The results will feed directly into the project’s final recommendations and will be shared with both communities and decision-makers. By placing people’s voices at the centre, the project continues to show that restoration is not only about plants, but about the connections between ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.