Restoration School
Seawilding is launching a Restoration School in 2026
Since our founding in 2020, we’ve built over six years of hands-on experience restoring seagrass and native oysters. In that time, we’ve helped advance both the science and the practical methodologies behind restoring these keystone species. Now, we’re ready to share that knowledge - supporting community groups, organisations, and individuals to take an active role in marine habitat restoration.
We offer a range of modules designed for all experience levels - from those just beginning their journey with seagrass and native oysters, to those ready to establish and lead their own restoration projects.
Why a Restoration School?
Community-led marine habitat restoration is gathering real momentum across the UK but getting started can feel daunting. While we have lots of resources available on our website via our ‘Learning Zone’, nothing compares to an intensive, in-person experience. Our multi-day programmes allow participants to cover all the bases and, crucially, to take part in in-water activities, giving people the chance to actively apply theory to practice.
Seawilding is uniquely placed to deliver these courses. We bring proven methodologies, real-world experience, and the credibility that comes from being a community-based and professional organisation actively doing the restoration work ourselves. We are not teaching theory alone – we’re walking the talk.
With the Scottish Government’s commitment to achieve nature positive status by 2045 and to restore marine biodiversity, it’s essential to upskill and empower communities that can help deliver these ambitious targets. The Seawilding Restoration School aims to do just this - turning motivation into action, and action into lasting ecological recovery.
Course Modules
Please note that participants will need to secure their own accommodation and provide their own meals. Click here for more info on the location of our Restoration School and accommodation options . Please read our T&Cs before booking
1. BSAC Advanced Snorkel Diver Course and Lifesaver Award
2. An Introduction to Practical Skills in Seagrass Mapping & Monitoring
3. An Introduction to Practical Skills in Seagrass Restoration
4. An introduction to Underwater Photography: Photography for Change
5. An Introduction to Starting a Native Oyster Restoration Project
6. Online series of lectures: Getting to know Seagrass/ Native oysters
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Dates: 11th – 14th May (4 days)
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Craignish Boatshed, Loch Craignish, PA31 8QS
Price: £500 pp
This course is designed to further the abilities of competent snorkellers, teaching advanced theory and delivering practical sessions in an open-water setting. Advanced Snorkel Divers are trained to be self-reliant, safety-aware, and ready for varied conditions.
The BSAC Lifesaver Award included in the course provides training in snorkel-rescue skills in sheltered water conditions and covers first aid for injuries likely to be encountered in snorkelling and snorkelling-related activities, placing an emphasis on improvisation and immediacy. The course content includes theory and practical elements covering basic life support, in-water life saving skills suitable for use from the shore or a boat and concludes with a practical exam to assess students’ competency.
This course trains participants to a standard that will enable them to take part in snorkelling activities required to carry out marine habitat restoration projects. The Seawilding team running the snorkel courses are BSAC Advanced Snorkel Instructors, qualified to deliver this course, and Seawilding is a registered BSAC Snorkel Training Centre.
Dates: 17th – 18th August (2 days)
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Craignish Boatshed, Loch Craignish, PA31 8QS
Price: £250 pp
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This course will provide basic training in seagrass mapping, monitoring and data handling, combining theoretical learning with practical, in-water experience. Participants will develop a basic understanding of subtidal seagrass ecology, and the key scientific skills required before, during, and after restoration activities. The course will break down the practical in-water elements of seagrass mapping and monitoring, making it accessible to community groups and other users and transferable to other applications and marine habitats.
Participants will gain practical skills in seagrass mapping & monitoring methods (existing and restored meadows), assessment of seagrass health, and biodiversity surveying. Training in seagrass mapping and habitat assessment will include establishing ecological baselines, GPS mapping of habitat extent, habitat ground-truthing techniques, and in-water data collection and data processing. Training will be in small groups, and time will be made available to discuss participants’ own contexts and interests.
Participant requirements: Those wishing to attend must be confident snorkelling in cold water and comfortable duck diving and breath-holding underwater for short periods of time. A qualification to the level of BSAC Advanced Snorkel Diver or equivalent is recommended, but not essential. Participants will be required to complete a medical questionnaire before attending to ensure they are medically fit to take part in snorkelling activities. Snorkelling equipment, including wetsuits, are available to borrow on request.
Dates: 19th August (1 day)
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Craignish Boatshed, Loch Craignish, PA31 8QS
Price: £125 pp
This course will provide training in best-practice, practical subtidal seagrass restoration techniques, including harvesting, processing and planting seagrass shoots. Participants will gain an understanding of how to harvest seagrass shoots whilst minimising impacts on donor meadows, identifying seagrass disease and invasive non-native species, shoot processing techniques, and methods for replanting shoots. If you intend to start your own restoration project we strongly recommend you join us for the Mapping & Monitoring course listed above as it is integral to seagrass restoration and it won't be covered on this course.
Participant requirements: Those wishing to attend must be confident snorkelling in cold water and comfortable duck diving and breath-holding underwater for short periods of time. A qualification to the level of BSAC Advanced Snorkel Diver or equivalent is recommended, but not essential. Participants will be required to complete a medical questionnaire before attending to ensure they are medically fit to take part in snorkelling activities. Snorkelling equipment, including wetsuits, are available to borrow on request.
Dates: 20th August (1 day)
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Craignish Boatshed, Loch Craignish, PA31 8QS
Price: £125 pp
A one-day course offered as an optional add-on to the seagrass courses, or as a stand-alone option for those interested. The course provides training in camera settings, lighting, composition, and editing, with a focus on capturing high-quality images and video both above and below water for use in science, communication, and outreach.
Dates: 9th - 10th September (2 days)
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Craignish Boatshed, Loch Craignish, PA31 8QS
Price: £250 pp
This course will deliver advanced training in native oyster restoration, combining theoretical learning with practical, shore-based surveying experience. Participants will develop a basic understanding of native oyster ecology, monitoring and restoration techniques, and the key stages involved in starting an oyster restoration project.
Participants will gain practical skills in oyster surveying and monitoring, including establishing physical and biological baselines, assessing population density, measuring recruitment, field data collection and processing, and evaluating environmental factors affecting oyster success. In addition, the course will address the steps needed to establish and operate an oyster nursery and the deployment of spat collectors.
The course will also include a boat-trip to our oyster nursery, as well as an introduction to remote underwater survey approaches using our ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle).
Dates: TBC
Time: TBC
Location: Online
Price: £20 pp per module
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A theory-based series of interactive online talks delivered as two separate streams (seagrass and native oysters), each comprising a number of interactive modules delivered over winter 2026/2027. Each module will run for 1–1.5 hours and will combine presentations with interactive discussion and group work, providing participants with a strong foundational understanding of these two keystone species and key considerations for how to start monitoring and restoring them. Module content will also include community engagement, fundraising, health & safety considerations, marine policy, and regulatory requirements including licensing, permissions, and biosecurity.
