Restore kelp beds UK

Kelp arises from the rocky sea floor and grows up towards sunlight to form a canopy of dense macro-algae. Beyond the fronds, you can find cuttlefish, seahorses, crabs, lobsters sea-bream and bass. These habitats offer a safe nursery ground and home for native species to reside in and protect our coasts from erosion and storm damage. Additionally, seaweed increases water quality and acts as a huge carbon sink. It absorbs over 600 million tons of carbon a year globally! Thats faster than the amazon rainforest.

The seaweed once grew naturally in waters stretching all around the coast of the UK, offering ecological and economic services to the natural environment and local fisheries nationwide. However, an increase in commercial fishing, dredging and global warming has since harmed these critical habitats. Kelp forests are declining at an alarming rate. If this loss continues there could be no remaining kelp in the UK by the end of the century. Without kelp forests, we will lose 90% of our marine life, risking an ecological and economic disaster.

But we have hope! Kelp grows fast, so with effective restoration and protection these vital habitats could flourish in our local waters. Bringing back the array of life once seen again. Our project focuses on embedding artificial reefs alongside planting kelp to create ecologically coherent habitats that can support a rich biodiversity of life. We are driven to restore natural habitats and ensure our marine environment is healthy, supports fisheries and delivers the many services that we rely on.