Kelp Forest Restoration Like seagrass, kelp forests are important underwater ecosystems that scientists are working to restore. Kelp is a type of large brown seaweed which grasps onto the seabed via its roots and grows towards the surface, like a towering underwater forest. The forests provide shelter for lots of different marine animals and act as a buffer which reduces wave energy, reducing the impact of storm surges and minimising coastal erosion.
There used to be lots of kelp along the coastline in Sussex, England, but it’s been destroyed – often by harmful practices such as dredging and bottom trawling – and now only a few areas remain. In March 2021, a new byelaw came into force to protect the nearshore seabed from these damaging trawlers thanks to a campaign to ‘Help Our Kelp’ supported by Sir David Attenborough.
The innovative Sussex Kelp Restoration Project aims to restore 200 square kilometres of kelp forest in the region as well as studying the impact of the inshore dredging ban.
Oyster Reefs The third ecosystem for restoration – and perhaps the least known – is oyster reefs. Oysters live in communities in areas of substrate called a ‘cultch’ made up of old shells that have built up over time. Because oysters are filter feeders, they can actually help improve water quality as well as absorbing excess nutrients and storing carbon. And like both seagrass meadows and kelp forests, oyster reefs act as a natural buffer, reducing the impact of strong waves, preventing erosion and stabilising the shoreline.
The Wild Oysters project is trying to restore native oysters to Britain’s seas. This involves installing oyster nurseries – a micro-habitat which contains 27 mature oysters – into marinas and ports around Britain. They describe these nurseries as being like a ‘maternity ward’ with the oysters in the nurseries reproducing and releasing larvae which are washed into the ocean to create a new generation of oysters. A ‘how-to’ guide has also been developed to help other people use the same system in future oyster restoration projects.
Stronger Shores These projects all provide a strong foundation for the upcoming restoration efforts of Stronger Shores, a new South Tyneside-led project, turning to these hidden habitats below the waves into an affordable, sustainable and longterm solution to rising sea levels and the impact of climate change being felt around the UK, such as flooding, erosion and storms.
This project is funded by Defra as part of the £150 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme which is managed by the Environment Agency to develop and test new approaches to help communities become more resilient to the effects of flooding and climate change. The project is supported by Newcastle University, University of Plymouth, Tees Rivers Trust, The North Sea Wildlife Trusts, Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Groundwork North East & Cumbria (GWNEC).
Through Stronger Shores, a network of experts will test new restoration approaches to better understand how seagrass, kelp and oyster beds can benefit communities in the North East and beyond.
Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Transport and Neighbourhoods at South Tyneside Council and Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Coastal Special Interest Group (SIG) said: “Our coastline is one of our greatest treasures but, over the years, important natural habitats have been lost. Many areas are threatened by flooding, erosion and
© Celine Gamble, ZSL
a b o v e Celine, Ashleigh and Rebecca cleaning oysters at Wild Oysters’ Tyne and Wear site r i g h t One of Tees Rivers Trust’s 20 oyster hoists installed at Hartlepool Marina. The native oyster nurseries hold a total of 600 native oysters.
More on marine restoration: ‘Rescuing the Planet’s Coral Reef ’ (PM102) ‘Marine Permaculture’ (PM101)
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