BlueForests

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations to rebuild Portuguese marine forests and to value their ecosystem services. This will ultimately contribute to b…

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations to rebuild Portuguese marine forests and to value their ecosystem services. This will ultimately contribute to building a sustainable blue economy based on resilient marine ecosystems and their natural capital. New technologies to restore Portuguese marine forests, including models to reveal the best locations for seforestation and novel techniques of planting are developed, tested and optimized. The contribution of Portuguese marine forests to blue carbon sequestration and thus climate mitigation is also quantified as well as the economic value of the ecosystem services delivered by them.

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale, with a high capacity for sequestering and storing carbon (known as “blue carbon”) in their biomass an…

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale, with a high capacity for sequestering and storing carbon (known as “blue carbon”) in their biomass and sediments. While seagrass meadows are widely recognised for their ability to remove CO2 and particulate organic matter from the water and store significant amounts in their sediments, the global importance of macroalgae forests for carbon sequestration remains poorly understood. In fact, macroalgae generally grow on hard substrata with no carbon burial potential, but they might be important donors of organic matter for the sediments of the deeper ocean.

BlueForests have experienced severe global declines

Despite their importance, blue forests have experienced severe global declines over the past decades due to the intensive use of coastal areas, with a consequent loss of the stored carbon, its sequest…

Despite their importance, blue forests have experienced severe global declines over the past decades due to the intensive use of coastal areas, with a consequent loss of the stored carbon, its sequestration capacity, as well as the habitat’s associated biodiversity and ecosystem services. There is a growing urgency to advance blue forest restoration to recover and expand the natural capital of the Portuguese coast and mitigate the effects of climate change by removing CO2, while delivering extra benefits for people and nature.

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations to rebuild Portuguese marine forests and to value their ecosystem services. This will ultimately contribute to b…

The BlueForests project seeks to advance the science and test technological innovations to rebuild Portuguese marine forests and to value their ecosystem services. This will ultimately contribute to building a sustainable blue economy based on resilient marine ecosystems and their natural capital. New technologies to restore Portuguese marine forests, including models to reveal the best locations for seforestation and novel techniques of planting are developed, tested and optimized. The contribution of Portuguese marine forests to blue carbon sequestration and thus climate mitigation is also quantified as well as the economic value of the ecosystem services delivered by them.

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale, with a high capacity for sequestering and storing carbon (known as “blue carbon”) in their biomass an…

Marine forests formed by seagrasses and macroalgae are important carbon sinks at the global scale, with a high capacity for sequestering and storing carbon (known as “blue carbon”) in their biomass and sediments. While seagrass meadows are widely recognised for their ability to remove CO2 and particulate organic matter from the water and store significant amounts in their sediments, the global importance of macroalgae forests for carbon sequestration remains poorly understood. In fact, macroalgae generally grow on hard substrata with no carbon burial potential, but they might be important donors of organic matter for the sediments of the deeper ocean.