OCEAN CITIZEN – A multidisciplinary approach integrating science and society in marine forest regeneration for ocean management and protection.

The Ocean is a critical component of our planet, providing more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe and regulating the climate and water cycle. However, with more than 60% of its ecosystems at risk (Oceans in Decline, Rossi 2019), immediate action is necessary to prevent further loss of biodiversity.

Climate Change is worsening this issue, and certain areas are experiencing up to 10 times faster loss than on land. Nevertheless, the Ocean holds immense potential for mitigating Climate Change, with Sea Forests capable of capturing up to three to six times more carbon than the Amazonian Forest (Rossi 2022, How carbon immobilization from restored marine forests may help Climate Change mitigation plans? Archivos do Ciencias do Mar 55: 202 – 218)

To unlock this potential, a sustainable business model is required to finance research that can translate scientific knowledge into long-term, practical solutions. This is where Underwater Gardens International (UGI) comes in. UGI employs cutting-edge marine science to implement large-scale marine regeneration, a profitable and sustainable approach to saving our planet. 

UGI’s innovative and cost-effective regenerative solutions focus on three main areas: a Biotech Toolbox (R&D), Sea Gardens, and the Underwater Gardens Blue Innovation Hub. The Biotech Toolbox (R&D) is responsible for developing project-specific protocols and using Smart Enhanced Reefs (SER®) to promote the aggregation and sheltering of marine life, mixing the blue and digital worlds as part of the “twin transition”. Sea Gardens are integrative projects aimed at restoring marine habitats and encompass an active underwater gardening program, an ocean monitoring and observation program, and a participatory citizen science. The Underwater Gardens Blue Innovation Hub is a coastal space dedicated to promoting regeneration and awareness, integrating a nearby Sea Garden underwater, featuring a scientific laboratory (Biolab), a center for ocean monitoring and observation, and activities focused on marine and land regeneration.