Blue growth opportunities in changing kelp forests.
Informations
- Funding country
Norway- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 1/1/2019
- End date
- 12/31/2022
- Budget
- 237,390 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANOCEAN - South Africa - Norway co-operation on ocean research including blue economy, climate change, the env | Grant | - | - | 237,390 EUR |
Abstract
BLUECONNECT aims to create strategic research partnerships and valuable training opportunities between South Africa and Norway that centers around knowledge-based management of kelp forest resources under changing ocean conditions. This project will measure the ecosystem services provided by kelp forests in South Africa and Norway and will build capacity for coastal research and sustainable development and management of these resources through high-level post graduate training, collaborative research, and scientific knowledge transfer. BlueConnect began in 2019, holding a public event in Cape Town where the four lead investigators gave public presentations on the project, and hosted discussions on the value of kelp forests ecosystems in South Africa and Norway, as well as ongoing changes in the global status of these ecosystems. Over the last three years the BlueConnect team has engaged with key stakeholders, including abalone managers, researchers at DAFF and UWC, and science community in general. We held a graduate field course for Norwegian and South African students (November 2020) on tools and techniques to conduct research on kelp forests expansion in parts of Norway and South Africa, building knowledge of these ecosystems and research capacity in both countries. BlueConnect is also quantifying the value of kelp forests globally, which provide many important benefits and services for coastal communities; fisheries provisioning, biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality, etc. In 2021, we officially launched the GEAK network - Global Ecosystem Services Assessment for Kelp forests - which brought together 51 kelp experts from 19 countries to conduct the first global synthesis of kelp forest value. Finally, we completed field research in Sommarøy, Norway, and in Cape Town, South Africa, to better understand the function and cultural value of these ecosystems.