The Solent Seascape Project is supported by East Head Impact and the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP), managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and funded by Arcadia. You can read the full article on the SSP website here > and more of their news and articles here >
In July 2024, the project was endorsed as an official United Nations Decade Action, as an initiative that contributes towards international goals for the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity.
Project Coordinator Rosalie Wright of Blue Marine Foundation said,
“We are immensely proud that the Solent Seascape Project has been recognised internationally by such a prestigious institution. As a UN Ocean Decade Action, we look forward to working alongside and learning from this network to collectively achieve change for our ocean, at a local and global scale.”
As the first seascape-scale marine restoration project in the UK, the project has been recognised as a Decade Action, joining other worldwide initiatives endorsed by the United Nations (UN) that seek to bridge gaps in important areas of ocean science and to connect people to the ocean in a sustainable way.
The project´s uniqueness lies in its recognition of the critical role of connectivity across key habitats, salt-marshes, seagrass beds, oyster reefs and seabird sites- due to the collective benefits they provide for people and nature.
The Solent Seascape Project is working to scientifically monitor the benefits of seascape-scale restoration, including measuring the carbon storage potential of restored habitats such as saltmarsh and seagrass, and ensuring that local people and sea-users co-design the project, thereby becoming more connected and engaged with their own marine environment. The restoration of all four key habitats included in the project has already started with seven seabird sites, four trial sites for seagrass, 0.25 ha for salt marsh and 0.25 ha for oysters.
The inclusion of the Solent Seascape Project as part of the Ocean Decade reflects its international importance, global standard work and allows it to connect with, and learn from, multiple other Decade Actions, ensuring the project is at the cutting edge of marine research and restoration. This will help to create a more resilient coastline by increasing carbon stores, reducing the impact of climate change, protecting coastal homes from erosion and sea level rise, improving water quality and providing areas for people to explore their natural environment.