March 1 marked World Seagrass Day, a holiday created by the United Nations to raise awareness about the importance of these marine plants found in shallow waters in many parts of the world, which create biologically rich underwater meadows. In honor of yesterday’s holiday, University of Washington (UW) News chatted with UW biology professor, Jennifer Ruesink, about what seagrass is and what makes the seagrasses in WA unique. At the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, we’re proud to support Research Fellow Maria Garcia’s current work in Willapa Bay, Washington. Maris is collaborating with partners at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Washington State Department of Ecology to understand how native and non-native eelgrass — a type of seagrass — are supporting fish (like the adorable pipefish pictured below) and crustaceans as the climate changes.