Sustaining sea life with the Seagrass Planting Project (Eng)

Sustainability

Sustaining sea life with

the Seagrass Planting Project At PCS, our Sustainability Strategy is built upon the

understanding that, when we protect our environment and the ecosystems that thrive within it, we also support the communities that rely on those ecosystems for food and income. That’s why we pursue our core pillars of environmental protection, carbon reporting, and social mobility – and why we believe that the right path forward respects the interrelationship between these ideals.

As part of our journey towards practical, impactful sustainability, PCS takes part in initiatives that help the world and all the people who live in it. That’s why we take active steps to preserve important habitats, such as when our colleagues worked together to plant 300 mangrove trees at Chachoengsao in October 2021.

This year, we are continuing our efforts to proactively protect our environment. On February 14th, volunteers from PCS travelled to Chaolao Beach, Chantaburi, to lend a helping hand to the Seagrass Restoration Project.

The project was established eight years ago by the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), the Local Fishermen Group, and the Thai Environmental Corporation Foundation (EnCorp). Its main aims are the conservation and restoration of seagrass – a plant that is vital for maintaining the health of the ocean, and of our planet as a whole.

The lungs of the ocean Seagrass grows in shallow and sheltered areas along the coast, and is often overlooked when compared to dazzling coral reefs. Yet the role of this aquatic plant is just as important as reefs in providing a habitat and breeding ground for several marine species. Seagrass meadows can host a wide variety of endangered or at-risk species, including seahorses, manatees, and sea turtles.

These meadows also greatly facilitate natural conservation efforts. Scientists often study seagrass to determine the health of the local ecosystem. As an indicator species, seagrass responds quickly to changes in the environment, such as pollution, water quality, and even overfishing. Seagrass is also often referred to as the ‘lungs of the sea’, due to its incredible capacity to produce oxygen. One square metre of seagrass can release as much as ten litres of oxygen per day.

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Restoring seagrass also helps to combat climate change. Not only is this plant fast-growing, but it is also highly efficient at consuming carbon dioxide.

Seagrass meadows hold around 10 percent of the carbon stored in the sea, despite taking up only 0.2 percent of the ocean floor.

We must be more environmentally conscious for the sake of our future generations. We can all help protect the planet we live on.

- Nitinan Thamhatai, Director at PCS

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Unfortunately, over the last 40 years, the world has lost one-third of its seagrass. That is why initiatives like the Seagrass Planting Project are so important for ensuring a greener, better tomorrow.

“We must be more environmentally conscious for the sake of our future generations,’’ said Nitinan Thamhatai, Director at PCS. “We can all help protect the planet we live on.”

Restoration through collaboration On February 14th, 20 staff members from PCS joined a volunteer force of around 300 people, with other participants representing EnCorp, the Local Fishermen Group, the PAO, and the Chantaburi Environmental Conservation Association. Students from three different schools were also part of this cooperative effort.

Working together, the volunteer group planted nearly 600 seagrass plants and released over 300,000 baby shrimp into the sea. Both of these achievements will provide valuable sustenance for the local marine wildlife.

Thanks in part to our team’s efforts, this single sustainability intiative stands to offset 2.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

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The Seagrass Planting Project’s student volunteers also took the opportunity to learn more about the preservation of local marine life and seagrass restoration.

This experience will help to drive greater awareness among the younger generation, and could even inspire future champions of marine habitat conservation.

However, without the cooperation of everyone who took part in this project, it would have been impossible to achieve so much in a single day.

“Environmental protection cannot be accomplished by a single organisation alone,” says Sompop Sirisawang, President of EnCorp. “It’s a collaborative effort involving the local community, government, and organisations that can help.”

Environmental protection cannot be accomplished by a single organisation alone. It’s a collaborative effort involving the local community, government, and organisations that can help.

- Sompop Sirisawang, President of the Thai Environmental Corporation Foundation

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Investing in our planet’s future Our work with the Seagrass Planting Project is yet another PCS initiative to help protect the environment.

We hope to get involved in more activities of this type, and we encourage other organisations to make similar efforts toward shared sustainability goals.

PCS has also supported EnCorp in other endeavours, beginning when we donated to the organisation during our Miracle of Giving Campaign earlier this year. Since then, we’ve worked closely with EnCorp towards our shared goal of protecting the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems.

When helping to restore natural habitats, or providing opportunities for local communities to learn, develop, and thrive, we at PCS believe that working together is essential for making the world a better place.

Learn more about how PCS is working towards a better future here.