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Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs
Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs

REEForest LIFE

REEForest LIFE aims to reverse the degradation of the endangered Cystoseira Habitat 1170 by implementing active restoration and setting up monitoring plans in 4 marine protected areas (Italy: Sinis Peninsula, Cilento National Park, Bergeggi Island; Greece: Gyaros island) where the causes of degradation have been addressed.

Macroalgal forests, one of the most productive and valuable habitats in the Mediterranean, are presently rapidly being lost because of direct and indirect human impacts.

Due to their role in supporting biodiversity their loss is leading to a decline in critical ecosystem services and a reduction in the ability of the oceans to sequester carbon dioxide and contribute to climate change mitigation.

For these reasons, prompt conservation and restoration efforts are needed, also in the context of UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

Capitalizing outcomes of ROC-POP LIFE, the project will restore the ecological status in the target MPAs through the implementation of specific conservation measures and cost-effective/sustainable reforestation activities (i.e. ex-situ and in-situ recruitment enhancement).

In addition, REEForest will

  • provide concrete and robust methods that can be used to replicate and scale up restoration activities in other areas and with other species
  • propose Guidelines for Mediterranean marine forest restoration that are relevant to EU policies, and support researchers and stakeholders to take correct decisions considering cost-effectiveness, ecological conditions and potential threats
  • raise awareness among citizens and stakeholders on the loss of marine forests in the Mediterranean Sea
  • promote knowledge replicability on the conservation, management and restoration of Cystoseira habitat through training, capacity building and “decision support” in at least 14 MPAs (Natura2000) and support MPA management bodies to formally adopt and update their management plans by including Cystoseira as a biodiversity target.
Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs

News

Cystoseira and its inhabitants

Brown algal prairies such as Cystoseira provide essential ecosystem services: on the one hand, they sequester carbon dioxide, and on the other hand, they are a place of interest for various species. Small species such as nudibranchs (Turidilla hopei) and

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Come and see what happens in Bergeggi!

REEForest activities in Liguria 3 Videos Trailer – ITA 1:02 Full video – ITA [sub ENG] 11:35 Short version – ENG 4:17 Instead of simply reading about it, it’s time to take a closer look at what we do! We

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Marine restoration at Trieste NEXT!

When autumn begins, it’s time for Trieste NEXT, the largest science festival in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. A talk about the REEForest project had to be held! On September 28th, on a sunny Saturday morning, our researchers talked about marine reforestation. You

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Cystoseira live during Radio3Scienza

Our scientific coordinator Annalisa Falace broadcasted live during one of the most important Italian radio shows on science. On September 26th, Elisabetta Tola interviewed Annalisa Falace during Radio3Scienza on marine restoration and the activities of the REEForest project. After a

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Sara d'Ambros with the REEForest poster

First results on Gongolaria barbata at EMBS

REEForest at the 57th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS)! This year the meeting was held in Naples, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Federico II University and the 150th anniversary of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station. Sara d’Ambros, one

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Monitoring visit hosted by Bergeggi MPA

The second project monitoring visit, hosted by Area Marina Protetta Isola di Bergeggi, has just ended today. All the project tasks have been checked and the issues found during the first half of the project addressed with the contribution of

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