“There is so much still to be explored and so much potential to be developed.”
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The VGS has posted a couple of pieces this week on ‘seaweed and carbon’ on the brand new [but yet-to-be-officially-launched] CAPS website: Carbon and kelp – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth and Carbon and brown algae – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth
The Sid Valley Biodiversity Group has also been busy over the last weeks posting pieces on seaweed: (20+) Sid Valley Biodiversity Group | Facebook and The weird and wonderful world of seaweed | Sidmouth Herald
The Sid Vale Association is also interested: Sidmouth Museum holds free event for children | Local News | News | Sidmouth Nub News – with a great talk from the spring on Phycomania and the Queen of Seaweed, phycologist Amelia Griffiths: Ed Dolphin on seaweed – YouTube
And in the spring we had the SeaFest – with its theme this year being… seaweed: Kelp our Oceans: Help our Kelp – Vision Group for Sidmouth
Plus, there is a very successful seaweed-based business in Sidmouth: Ebb Tides Homepage Ebbtides and Seaweed-based beer and salt scoop gold awards for Sidmouth company | Local News | News | Sidmouth Nub News
All this interest and activity would be expected in a seaside town after all – and yet there is so much still to be explored and so much potential to be developed.
This graphic was posted earlier on the VGS site to show some of that potential:
Here, then, are some recent posts on the issues from the VGS:
Why Southwest England is emerging as a hotbed of aquacultural innovation: “The importance of a sustainable ocean economy – or ‘blue economy’ – is growing in recognition. This means innovation is thriving in the marine sector as businesses look to make a positive impact.”
Could seaweed become a major part of the economy of the South West? – Vision Group for Sidmouth
Planting seaweed and seagrass forests “sets in motion a chain reaction that massively increases the fish population. Fish absorb huge quantities of CO2… meaning the increase in their numbers would benefit the climate in a similar way to forests.”
Planting seaweed and seagrass forests – Vision Group for Sidmouth
The ‘Seeding Change Together’ project in Cornwall
Restoring the South West’s seagrass – Vision Group for Sidmouth
“From Dornoch Firth to Lyme Bay, inspiring projects are leading the way by restoring critically important seagrass meadows, kelp forests and oyster beds. Combined with the exclusion of bottom towed trawling and dredging, such initiatives offer hope and a blueprint for bringing our precious seas back to health.”
A seagrass project for Lyme Bay? – Vision Group for Sidmouth