Leveraging the blue economy to transform marine forest restoration
Background
The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) addresses the urgent need to reverse centuries of ecosystem degradation and confront the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises. While efforts primarily focus on expanding terrestrial forests, many overlook the potential of marine forest restoration to protect biodiversity, enhance carbon sequestration, and provide sustainable resources and socio-economic benefits. Global declines in marine forests continue to shrink these vital ecosystems, which receive the least restoration attention among coastal ecosystems. Seaweed forests, in particular, face the most neglect in marine restoration, falling behind all other marine systems.
Conclusions and Takeaways
This perspective piece calls for a paradigm shift in marine forest restoration, urging a transition from small-scale, academically driven projects to large-scale, commercially viable initiatives. The authors synthesize insights from scientific literature, policy initiatives, and industry trends to propose strategies to integrate the growing seaweed cultivation industry with restoration efforts. They recommend using commercial seaweed hatcheries for seed production, deploying seeded substrates to lower restoration costs, and fostering cross-sector partnerships to diversify income streams and strengthen supply chains. The authors also identify key challenges, including aligning industry priorities with restoration objectives, updating regulatory frameworks, and addressing environmental stressors like pollution and overgrazing, which hinder restoration efforts.
Reference:
Leveraging the blue economy to transform marine forest restoration. Journal of Phycology. 2022;58(2):198 - 207. doi:10.1111/jpy.13239.