In 2017, the National Audubon Society contacted us to take aerial photography of Eelgrass in Richardson Bay near Sausalito, CA. Of course, we would be happy to… one question, “What’s eelgrass?” Eelgrass is a seagrass that grows submerged in the shallow, tidal waters of the bay on muddy, sandy bottoms. It is not a seaweed. It plays a vital role in the ecosystem, providing food and shelter for sea life, stabilizing the seafloor, and absorbing carbon pollution. It is a powerful little plant.

Boats at anchor provide one of the biggest threats to the grass. As the tides come and go, the boats pivot around their anchors, creating a circle of mowed-down seagrass. We were asked to shoot during the lowest tides possible to get a clear picture of the devastation under the surface. And almost every year, we are asked to repeat our aerial survey to compare the health of the eelgrass.

Since we began documenting the damage, the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has implemented policies and guidelines to help protect the seagrass beds. Our subsequent photos have shown that progress is being made, and only time (and, I’d like to think, our photography) will reveal that the eelgrass can again thrive in our bays.