From Seeds to Shoreline®
- From Seeds to Shoreline® (S2S)—coordinated by the Consortium in partnership with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Clemson University—is South Carolina’s only salt marsh restoration program designed for K–12 students and teachers.
- The S2S program includes five main steps to restore Spartina alterniflora (or smooth cordgrass): seed collection, seed storage, seed germination, seedling cultivation, and seedling transplantation. All five steps are done over the academic school year.
- Getting involved in the From Seeds to Shoreline® program requires educators to attend a free, one-day summer training. The program is open to any educator statewide.
- During the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 S2S program, a total of 502 students engaged in 18 marsh restoration days, planting over 4650 stalks of Spartina alterniflora in designated areas of salt marsh ranging from Beaufort to Georgetown counties. Additionally, 15 new educators were trained for the S2S program.
- This program is federally funded by the NOAA National Sea Grant Office, which currently faces budget cuts.
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2024 Spartina Planting and Seed Collection
A rainbow peeking through rain clouds over the salt marsh off the Intracoastal Waterway on Sullivan’s Island, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
A seaside sparrow enjoying the smooth cordgrass in its preferred habitat, tidal salt marshes along the coasts of the eastern U.S. Photo credit: Morgan Treon/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon scoping out the terrain before leading two groups of elementary school students through the salt marsh on Sullivan’s Island, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
View of the Ravenel Bridge crossing the Wando River from a recently restored salt marsh in James Island, S.C. Photo credit: Morgan Treon/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon and Sullivan’s Island Elementary School educator examining a batch of smooth cordgrass seeds. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Sullivan’s Island Elementary School student holding up a bag of smooth cordgrass seeds collected during a From Seeds to Shoreline® field trip. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Sullivan’s Island Elementary School students navigating the salt marsh in search of smooth cordgrass seeds. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
An educator counting smooth cordgrass seeds near the salt marsh during the From Seeds to Shoreline® New Educator training workshop in 2023. Photo credit: Erica Hussey/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon with a group of educators notetaking during the From Seeds to Shoreline® New Educator training workshop in 2023. Photo credit: Erica Hussey/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
A group of educators learning about the salt marsh with a view of the Ravenel Bridge crossing the Wando River during the From Seeds to Shoreline® New Educator training workshop in 2023. Photo credit: Erica Hussey/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Students and teachers from Frierson Elementary School join SCDNR researchers in planting smooth cordgrass around wire oyster restoration blocks on a living shoreline in Wadmalaw Island, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Students and teachers from Frierson Elementary School join SCDNR researchers on a mud flat along Bohicket Creek on Wadmalaw Island, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Close up on a stalk of smooth cordgrass growing in the salt marsh off Beaufort River in Beaufort, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon collecting seeds from smooth cordgrass in the salt marsh off the Intracoastal Waterway on Sullivan’s Island, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon with a bundle of smooth cordgrass seeds. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon holding a sprouting smooth cordgrass stalk. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon instructing children on how to safely navigate pluff mud in the salt marsh. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Stalks of smooth cordgrass overlooking brackish river water at the mouth of the Charleston Harbor. Photo credit: Morgan Treon/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Consortium Marine Education Specialist Morgan Treon demonstrating how to release smooth cordgrass seeds from a stalk. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.