Nationwide partnership to protect Greece’s seagrass begins
An international coalition of environmental organizations, including Seacology, has begun a five-year program to save threatened seagrass throughout Greece!
A partnership with the Greek NGO Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), and several other environmental research and campaign organizations, the Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance is the first nationwide education and community-engagement initiative to protect Posidonia seagrass.
Greece has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean Basin, and the 11th longest in the world at 8,498 miles. It is home to many islands, 227 of which are inhabited. The sea hosts a large population of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Seagrass is a true flowering plant, complete with stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. It grows in shallow coastal waters and plays a vital ecological role by offering numerous critical services, including:
Carbon sequestration
Posidonia helps mitigate climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide in its biomass and in sediment on the seafloor. Healthy seagrass meadows sequester an estimated 15 times more greenhouse gas per area than any terrestrial forest.
Habitat for marine life
Seagrass meadows provide shelter for small fish, crustaceans, and other animals, making these habitats important for fisheries and ecotourism. Posidonia is a foundational species in the Greek seas — home to loggerhead sea turtles and the Mediterranean monk seal (one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world).
photo by Yiannis Issaris/HCMR
Better water quality
Posidonia filters many pollutants out of seawater, supporting public health.
photo by Yiannis Issaris/HCMR
Protecting coastlines
The roots of seagrass plants help stabilize the seafloor and fight erosion in the face of increasingly severe weather events. Posidonia banquettes (piles of withered seagrass leaves and shoots that form on beaches) also help protect coastal communities by dissipating waves.
Photo by POSBEMED2
Unfortunately, the vital role that seagrass plays in the Greek environment and economy has largely gone unnoticed by local communities and authorities. Many of the Posidonia meadows in the Greek seas have suffered major damage from climate change-related temperature increases, invasive species and ocean acidification, which disrupts the plants’ reproductive cycle. Unregulated anchoring related to the heavy boat traffic in the region has led to extensive damage to Posidonia meadows. Furthermore, banquettes, often perceived as unsightly, are frequently removed from coastlines, even though they wash away naturally. Most people throughout the country have little awareness of seagrass or its importance.
The Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance aims to change this through extensive public outreach, including:
Partnerships with schools
Classroom presentations, events for kids, and training for educators across the country.
Media outreach
Traditional and social media placements reaching millions of residents and visitors.
Working with stakeholders
The project will partner with boating and fishing communities, tourism professionals, and others to protect and promote seagrass ecosystems.
The Greek Islands Seagrass alliance follows a successful earlier partnership with CPF in the Northern Cyclades Islands, which also focused on outreach to schools and local stakeholders.
“Seagrass is likely the most undervalued and most threatened of the Earth’s ecosystems,” said Seacology’s Executive Director Duane Silverstein. “Seacology is proud to provide US $1 million for the Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance to launch the world’s first nationwide public education and local engagement program about Posidonia seagrass.”
“We are delighted that along with our partners and with the amazing support of the Seacology Foundation we are giving one of our most precious ecosystems a voice in the coastal communities of Greece,” said Anni Mitropoulou, Executive Director of the Cyclades Preservation Fund. “It is a timely moment to shine a light on the services and wonder that Posidonia seagrass provides for people and sea life in Greece.”
Seacology and CPF will partner with selected research, campaign and advocacy organizations with broad experience in marine conservation across Greece to implement the program, including the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN), the Ionian Environment Foundation (IEF), the Argosaronic Environment Foundation (AEF), and Aenaos Thalassa. Furthermore, the Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance initiative is expected to cultivate strategic alliances and advocacy pathways to strengthen the collective support for Posidonia oceanica preservation across diverse sectors and local communities, enhancing its protection and sustainable management at the local, national, and international levels.