https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/restoring-seagrass-brings-barren-bays-to-life/ > The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. > A century ago Virginia’s coastal lagoons were a natural paradise. Fishing boats bobbed on the waves as geese flocked overhead. Beneath the surface, miles of seagrass gently swayed in the surf, making the seabed look like a vast underwater prairie.