Hundreds Of ‘Seagrass Tubes’ Planted To Kick-Off Multi-Million Pound Restoration Of Thames

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Thousands of seagrass shoots have been planted in the Thames, as conservation charity ZSL kicks off work to transform one of the world's most famous waterways.  

Over the course of one week, ZSL’s conservationists collected nearly 1,000 cylindrical ‘seagrass cores’ – tubes of mud extracted from the Thames, each one containing multiple individual dwarf eelgrass shoots – from a seagrass meadow in Essex, before carefully planting each one in mudflats in Kent – as part of their work to make the estuary more resilient to climate change.

One of the largest UK restoration efforts using this method, ZSL’s work is the first step in restoring a thriving seagrass meadow, with the ambition that it will grow to cover an area the size of at least 1.5 football pitches over the next few years.

The work launches the start of on-the-ground work for Transforming the Thames - an ambitious ZSL-led project bringing together 20 partners to turn the tide on the health of the Greater Thames Estuary and deliver wide reaching benefits to the British wildlife and the 8 million people that live along the Estuary.

The five-year project brings together conservationists, local communities, government bodies and landowners, building on decades of experience to recover a rich, varied coastal landscape by 2030.

In doing so, Transforming the Thames will help improve access to nature, protect local communities against the impacts of climate change and support the species that call the Thames home – from Critically Endangered European eels and sharks to beloved seahorses and lapwings.

Thea Cox, ZSL’s Transforming the Thames Senior Restoration Manager said:

“Seagrass meadows are critical to the health of the Thames, and we’re thrilled to be kicking off our work transforming this iconic estuary by getting stuck in on the mudflats."

 “We rely on healthy ecosystems for our own wellbeing, but decades of degradation and fragmentation have left the Greater Thames Estuary with a poor bill of health – and increased storm events and marine heatwaves due to climate change threaten the health of the estuary further. We know that it can recover, and are excited to see the Thames flourish as we work to restore habitats along its shores, make its coastlines more resilient to climate-change driven storms, and connect people with everything it has to offer.”  

Seagrass meadows play a vital role in the marine environment, providing essential nursery grounds for fish, food for birds, and habitat for various invertebrate species. Seagrass in the UK has declined up to 44% of seagrass since 1936 due to decreased water quality, disturbance and pollution – threatening wildlife and putting people at greater risk of flooding and coastal erosion.  

Areas of healthy seagrass meadows can still be found along the Thames, and the seagrass was collected during low-tide from existing meadows near Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, ready to be planted in Egypt Bay, Kent.  

The team of conservationists and volunteers used specially designed wooden mudshoes to navigate the challenging mudflats, helping prevent them from sinking into the mud as they worked. As the work could only take place during low-tide, a hovercraft was also used to transport the team and their equipment over the mudflat so they could collect or plant as many seagrass plants as possible before the sites were submerged in water.

Thea added:

“This year marks ZSL’s 200th anniversary, a year where we celebrate all we’ve achieved so far and look ahead to a future where people and wildlife thrive together. As we work to restore these coastal meadows, we’re not only marking the start of a new exciting chapter for the Greater Thames Estuary – we’re also making that future a reality.” 

 To rebuild a healthy, resilient ecosystem, the seagrass planting will be followed by further work by the Transforming the Thames partnership to restore around 450 football pitches worth of six vital habitats across the Greater Thames Estuary - native oyster beds, seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, coastal grazing marsh, saline lagoons, and sand and shingle bird nesting habitat.  

Working towards a 100-year vision of recovery across the estuary, the partnership are also working to tackle the biggest threats destroying existing habitats – such as pollution - and working with local communities and businesses alike to empower them to be a part of scaling up transformation across the region.     

ZSL believes nature can recover, and that conservation is most effective when driven by science. We call for science to guide all global decisions on environment and biodiversity and build a healthier future for wildlife, people and the planet. Find out more and support ZSL’s world-leading, collaborative science and conservation work visit here.  

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Apr 4, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Apr 5, 2024

Leicester City Football Club publishes its financial accounts for the year ending 30 June 2023.

The accounting period corresponded with a season which saw Leicester City’s relegation from the Premier League. The Club’s investment in its First Team playing squad – a strategy reflected in eight previous seasons of high performance in the top flight – was, for the first time, not matched by on-pitch results.

The consequences of this disappointment, combined with the costs arising from the Club’s long-term commitment to maintaining a strong squad of players, were the primary factors behind a pre-tax loss of £89.7M (2022: £92.5M loss).

While turnover for the year decreased to £177.3M (2022: £214.6M), commercial revenues increased, with gate receipts up £1.4M, sponsorship revenue up £1.3M and commercial turnover up by £1M. The fall in turnover was primarily due to a reduction in Premier League merit payments and broadcast revenues, and the Club’s absence from European competition for the first time in three seasons.

The Club realised a net profit on player trading of £74.8M in the accounting period (£9.2M in 2022), though this increase was offset by a significantly lower-than-budgeted league position and a costly change in First Team management structure.

The Club’s commitment to the growth of women’s football in Leicestershire continued, with further investment in players, staff and facilities to aid the development of LCFC Women. The team’s second season in the Women’s Super League saw them improve on both their points total and finishing position from the previous campaign, securing a third successive season of top-flight football.

Over recent years, the Club's financial results have reflected necessary levels of investment in the men’s playing squad that allowed LCFC to compete with the most established clubs in the Premier League. The underlying security to pursue those ambitions has been, and continues to be, provided by the Club’s parent company, King Power International (KPI), under the leadership of Chairman Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. His and his family’s support for the Club remains as strong as it has ever been.

Indeed, the 2022/23 accounting period records Khun Aiyawatt’s conversion of £194M of loans and related interest owed to KPI into equity, relieving the Club of significant outstanding debt to its parent company.

LCFC remains engaged in a confidential process with the Premier League and the English Football League, regarding the Club’s Profitability and Sustainability calculations. The Club is determined to ensure that any charges against it are properly and proportionately resolved, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time.

Leicester City Chief Executive Susan Whelan said:

“After a sustained period of growth and success for the Club during the last decade, the 2022/23 season was a significant setback, the consequences of which will be felt for some time. We must now focus on rebuilding and seeking to return to and re-establishing ourselves in the Premier League."

"Having achieved finishing positions in the Premier League of fifth, fifth and eighth in the three preceding seasons, our targets and associated budgets for 2022/23 were entirely reasonable. However, for a club such as ours, whose sustained sporting achievements have justified the levels of investment required to compete with the most established clubs and pursue our ambition, a season of such significant under-performance on the pitch presents financial challenges, particularly from the perspective of the game’s current Profitability and Sustainability rules."

“The long-term and ongoing financial security and commitment provided by Khun Aiyawatt, the Srivaddhanaprabha family and King Power International, enables the Club to rebuild with certainty and confidence. We’re infinitely grateful for the faith and support of our fans, whose commitment and loyalty continue to inspire our mission to restore Leicester City to the level at which we all want it to compete.”

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Hundreds Of ‘Seagrass Tubes’ Planted To Kick-Off Multi-Million Pound Restoration Of Thames

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