With your support - we work with SeaForester to restore the kelp forests in Cascais, Portugal. We have made an early stage investment in the development of the green gravel technique for doing kelp forest restoration off the shallow coast of Cascais, Portugal. This kelp forest restoration project begins with the deployment of 25,000 stones over 27,000 sq-ft of kelp forest
What are stones? Green gravel stones refer to a unique technique employed in the restoration of kelp forests. This technique involves the seeding of small stones with seaweed spores, nurturing them on land in specialized nurseries, and deploying them in the sea. The process, supported by your donation, includes the growth of seaweed on these stones, which are then scattered from a boat without the need for divers or technical equipment. This scalable and cost-effective seaforestation solution is aimed at rejuvenating the kelp forests.
Click here for more information on the project you're supporting.
Over the past three to four decades, the once plentiful kelp forests along the Cascais coastline have largely disappeared. Initially widespread along all rocky shores in Portugal, these kelp forests have undergone a substantial reduction primarily attributed to factors such as deteriorating water quality, adverse fishing effects, pollution, and coastal runoff.
Kelp decline in Portugal has led to a decrease in biodiversity, fewer fish, less carbon sequestration, and poorer water quality. The adverse effects of this decline are particularly impactful on local communities that depend on these habitats for both subsistence and various economic activities.
Today, pollution levels and water quality have improved due to better wastewater treatment and limitations on fishing equipment, yet seaweed has failed to recolonize much of the available habitat, and specific restoration actions to re-seed reefs are urgently needed. Now that conditions are stable for kelp regrowth, we will be implementing innovative seaforestation techniques with project partners SeaForester.
With your support - we work with Operation Crayweed and Sydney Insitute of Marine Science to restore the lost kelp forests along the South Bondi subtidal rocky reef in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Crayweed is among the most important ecosystems on the planet, providing critical food and habitat for hundreds of species. These vast underwater forests support coastal food webs, sequester immense amounts of atmospheric carbon, produce oxygen for marine life, and support unique coastal biodiversity, which is not supported by any other seaweed species.
Each sq-ft of crayweed you restore helps by:
bringing back a critical underwater forest habitat
contributing to the recovery of economically important species like abalone and crayfish
sequestering atmospheric carbon
improving water quality
reestablishing coastal food webs
protecting coastal communities by stabilizing the coast and reducing wave action
Click here for more information on the project you're supporting and here to learn more about Operation Crayweed and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
