Various organizations from different countries are joining forces for an ambitious project aimed at highlighting the importance and benefits of Posidonia meadows for the marine environment and local communities. Toward this goal, Aegean Rebreath, Zurich Group Germany (which funds the program), the Municipality of Kea, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and the organization Team Malizia are collaborating to adopt a marine bay on Kea island, where the presence of Posidonia meadows is significant.
Posidonia meadows play a crucial role in carbon dioxide sequestration, produce oxygen, serve as shelter and breeding grounds for a wide variety of marine species, protect shorelines and coastal dunes from erosion and help maintain clean waters, thereby supporting ecotourism, diving, and recreation.
The program includes a range of holistic activities aimed at both protecting the area from uncontrolled anchoring and restoring the site, as well as informing and raising awareness among the local community and visitors. It is based on seven action pillars and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Specifically, the interventions focus on:
Another complex project for our organization, however the program outcomes are considered important, as the selected area suffers from the frequent anchoring of numerous recreational boats. For this reason, the interventions will be large-scale! At the same time, the Municipality of Kea is a founding member of the Blue Municipalities Network, which means that the program’s results will also benefit other network members facing similar issues.
