The creation of ceramic tiles for the REEForest Project progressed intensively throughout March and April and is now complete for the restoration in the Gyaros Island Marine Protected Area.
These small yet vital clay structures will serve as the foundational base for the cultivation of young Cystoseira s.l. macroalgae. These specially crafted clay tiles are more than simple supports — they are the starting point of an ambitious journey that begins in the controlled environment of a laboratory and continues in the highly dynamic and ever-changing ecosystem of the Aegean Sea.
If the ceramic tiles stay put and Cystoseira s.l. continue to grow — reaching eventually a stage where the lab–cultivated germlings can produce their own offspring — this marks a meaningful step toward the reforestation of our degraded coastal reefs.
Every step matters, and every step counts.
Behind this essential component of our underwater restoration efforts is ceramist Irini Kutiva, whose craftsmanship and sensitivity to the natural world have proven invaluable. After months of collaboration and testing, we fully trust her process. Her ceramics have endured the sea’s challenges: salt, waves, air, and shifting temperatures — conditions that often cause materials to deteriorate quickly, especially in the harsh intertidal zone where water meets land and air.
Remarkably, most of the tiles are still in place at Gyaros Marine Protected Area, almost a year after their initial deployment. The few that have been lost were due to other technical issues, not the ceramics themselves. This is no small achievement. Still, we remain cautiously optimistic; the sea is unpredictable, and nothing placed in it comes with guarantees.
At the heart of this effort lies a shared sense of curiosity, dedication, and respect for the sea. It’s this blend of science and craft — of technical knowledge and creative problem-solving — that allows us to test ideas, learn from setbacks, and take meaningful steps toward restoring underwater ecosystems. Even if the outcomes remain uncertain, each attempt helps us better understand what might work in supporting the fragile regeneration of Cystoseira habitats. Step by step, one ceramic tile at a time.
Text and pictures credited to HCMR.
