LIFE SEA FOREST presented in Rome
Today in Rome, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) hosted the final meeting of the European project LIFE SeaForest “Posidonia meadows as carbon sinks of the Mediterranean“.
Launched in 2018, the project aims to enhance Posidonia oceanica meadows as “Blue Carbon” reservoirs in the Mediterranean Sea, by increasing their capacity to capture and store CO₂ while countering their erosion and degradation.
Among the results achieved is the development of a methodological protocol for quantifying the carbon dioxide “sequestered” by Posidonia oceanica—a crucial step toward a future economic valuation of the ecosystem service of CO₂ absorption and storage.
Over 100 small areas of Posidonia oceanica meadows damaged by recreational boat anchoring have been restored, using seeds, cuttings, and stranded shoots. A total of 1,300 naturally detached Posidonia oceanica cuttings were planted. The results are very encouraging, with survival rates of transplanted cuttings reaching up to approximately 80%.
ISPRA has also developed an operational protocol outlining procedures for interventions aimed at “stitching” together Posidonia meadows.
LIFE SeaForest has estimated the CO₂ emissions avoided thanks to the reduction of Posidonia meadow degradation caused by unregulated anchoring: project activities could prevent over 5,365 tons of CO₂ over ten years, almost entirely in the La Maddalena area.
Thanks to the LIFE SeaForest project, a genuine “carbon market” has emerged for companies aiming to reduce their emissions. Companies can purchase carbon credits, thereby offsetting their emissions. This approach not only helps mitigate climate change but also directly funds the conservation and restoration of Posidonia meadows, contributing concretely to the global sustainable development goals established by the United Nations.
Since its inception in 2018, ISPRA has actively participated in the LIFE SeaForest project as a partner alongside CNR, the University of Tuscia, Carbonsink, the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, the Asinara National Park, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, and the project coordinator D.R.E.Am. Italia. Today, LIFE SeaForest represents a replicable model across the Mediterranean basin, in line with European objectives of climate neutrality, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development.