Want to fight seaforestation?
Not sure, because you don't know what seaforestation is (the term is fairly new)? Let's define it, or let Ocean Wise do that.
"(It's) the act of restoring, planting, managing and caring for underwater seaweed forests," states the Vancouver-based ocean conservation charity on their website.
Basically, it's like deforestation but under the ocean and the opposite. So, more accurately it's like reforestation.
"Seaweed forests are rich habitat for marine life, including commercially important fish and invertebrates. In addition, they protect the coast from the impacts of extreme weather events," Ocean Wise states on their website. "And they naturally capture carbon in large volumes in seaweed tissue, some of which gets trapped in the ocean floor for centuries."
They're also where sea otters live.
Ocean Wise is now looking to hire a director of seaforestation to help lead the charge on a variety of issues as seaweed and seaweed forests can be part of the solution to a few problems.
"Seaweeds grow faster than terrestrial plants. There is ample space to grow seaweed in the oceans without compromising ecosystem integrity. If we realise the potential of seaweed to sequester CO2, among other measures to mitigate greenhouse gases, we will have a fighting chance of avoiding the catastrophic implications of climate change," notes the organization.
There's also a market for seaweed products, they add. Aside from food for humans, it's also used in everything from cosmetics to agriculture. There's even a type of seaweed that makes cows fart less (which means less methane which helps in the fight against climate change).
Ocean Wise's seaforestation initiative looks to partner with others to grow the issue and industry over the coming years. Already some seaweed companies have joined.
