Blue Forest - Kelp Afforestation
Associated Rewards
No Rewards
This company has no rewards yet
No rewards
This project has no connected rewards yet
Project Story
Overview
The Blue Forest project will fund 75acres (>1,500,000 mature plants) of rope-grown kelp afforestation at the largest licensed UK kelp farm, located in North Devon, England.
It will be delivered and managed by Algapelago, a mariculture and biotech company, in collaboration with research partners.
The Blue Forest is a non-profit biodiversity and climate research program, gathering data on kelp cultivation as a nature-based solution.
It will be delivered and managed by Algapelago, a mariculture and biotech company, in collaboration with research partners.
The Blue Forest is a non-profit biodiversity and climate research program, gathering data on kelp cultivation as a nature-based solution.
Why Kelp?
Kelp is a keystone marine species, known as ‘habitat engineers’ for their ability to create complex habitats. These majestic underwater forests harbour some of the highest biodiversity in temperate seas, and provide invaluable ecosystem services: improving water quality, absorbing excess nutrients, storing carbon and buffering against ocean acidification.
Yet, kelp habitat is declining globally and under threat from ocean warming, overgrazing and pressure from human activities.
Yet, kelp habitat is declining globally and under threat from ocean warming, overgrazing and pressure from human activities.
Why the Blue Forest?
Seaweed cultivation provides a scalable opportunity to increase kelp habitat while providing nature-based solutions for nutrient cycling, carbon storage and biodiversity uplift.
However, the scientific community lacks data on the ecosystem impacts of kelp cultivation at scale over a meaningful timescale.
The Blue Forest will answer a key knowledge gap: can cultivated kelp provide similar ecosystem services to wild forests?
However, the scientific community lacks data on the ecosystem impacts of kelp cultivation at scale over a meaningful timescale.
The Blue Forest will answer a key knowledge gap: can cultivated kelp provide similar ecosystem services to wild forests?
