The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set an ambitious target to protect and restore 30 percent of the planet's land and sea by 2030. But the clock is ticking on this commitment. While we have seen significant progress in large scale land-based restoration, our coastal habitats are often overlooked.
The Restoring Our Seascapes report, published by Blue Marine in collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, University of Portsmouth, University of Essex, and the Zoological Society of London, aims to change that by highlighting the importance of coastal habitats around the UK.
It sheds light on the benefits provided by seagrass meadows, saltmarsh habitats, mudflats, oyster reefs and kelp forests. And it stresses how, when these ecosystems are connected, they become more than the sum of their parts, delivering healthy, resilient seas.
Why ecological connectivity matters
Ecological connectivity is essential for ecosystems function, enabling wild animals and plant species to thrive, maintaining genetic diversity, and supporting adaptation to climate change. By protecting and restoring our seascapes, we can harness the potential of our 12,500km of coastline to mitigate climate change, as well as protecting commercial fish stocks and boosting biodiversity.
Policy recommendations
The Restoring Our Seascapes report lays out clear recommendations for UK and devolved governments to implement policy changes that will restore fragmented habitats and provide long-term protection for our biodiverse seascapes.
UKCEH coastal ecologist, Angus Garbutt, lead author of the report comments,
“This report provides a definition and collective vision of seascape restoration for the UK following consultation with international and UK experts across the science, policy, funding and delivery sectors, and provides underpinning scientific evidence. We recommend the development of a new seascape-scale licence to enable efficient delivery of nature recovery projects and a whole site approach to designating marine protected areas, prioritising connectivity."
He adds, "Our goal is to start a journey towards large-scale, multi-habitat restoration of coastal and near shore habitats in the UK and for the term ‘seascape restoration’ to be as widely understood, evidenced and delivered as its terrestrial counterpart.”
Read the full report here