Malaysian scientists successfully restore destroyed seagrass meadows using multi-species approach, achieving 66% survival rate

Marine life is thriving once again in the shallow waters off Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where a bustling community of crabs, marine worms, and mollusks signals the remarkable recovery of a seagrass ecosystem that was devastated by development just over a decade ago.

In 2014, massive land reclamation dredging operations for a “Forest City” project at the tip of Peninsular Malaysia dispersed clouds of sediment across the Merambong Shoal, destroying roughly 10 hectares of one of Malaysia’s most extensive seagrass beds. These underwater flowering plants are ecological powerhouses that filter pollutants, cycle nutrients, store carbon, and provide critical habitat for diverse marine species. While environmental authorities issued a stop-work order, the damage had already been done.

To address the environmental destruction, developer Country Garden Pacificview partnered with marine scientists at the University of Putra Malaysia on an ambitious decade-long restoration program from 2015 to 2025. The researchers’ innovative approach focused on transplanting seedlings from multiple fast-growing seagrass species rather than relying on a single variety. This multi-species strategy proved remarkably successful, achieving survival rates of 66% in some recovery plots—an impressive result for seagrass restoration efforts.

As the transplanted meadows stabilized and matured, researchers documented an encouraging natural phenomenon: other seagrass species began returning on their own, further enriching the restored ecosystem. The project demonstrates how strategic scientific intervention combined with species diversity can effectively repair marine habitats damaged by coastal development, offering hope for similar restoration efforts worldwide.