The "Blue Carbon Project" will have its first stop at the seabed of the Bergeggi Island Marine Protected Area, in the province of Savona, where several degraded meadows are present due to past anthropogenic activities.

Posidonia oceanica is an endemic Mediterranean sea plant with extraordinary environmental value. It forms extensive underwater meadows of great ecological importance, capable of protecting the coast from erosion and absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as well as producing oxygen. Moreover, the Posidonia oceanica meadow constitutes a habitat that hosts many other marine organisms, providing them with shelter, food and an area to reproduce and grow.

The project involves planting approximately 100 square meters of P. oceanica, which can later be replicated in the same and/or other areas, using innovative and low-impact transplant techniques using biodegradable materials (coconut fiber nets). The team from the University of Genoa, along with the underwater operators from the I.S.S.D. (International School for Scientific Diving), will be responsible for the operational part of the project, which involves transplanting and monitoring the P. oceanica cuttings for a time period of at least two years from planting.

Simultaneously with the activities at sea, One Ocean Foundation will activate actions on land with to involve the local community and various stakeholders, particularly schools, through citizen science and outreach activities to raise awareness about the importance of this species for the Mediterranean sea ecosystem and, more generally, for ocean protection.

Data collected throughout the duration of the project will be useful for scientific research purposes to develop future and increasingly compliant transplant techniques and to assess the health and restoration status of the Posidonia oceanica meadow and surrounding area.

The Blue Carbon Project will be developed in collaboration with the ERM Foundation with the scientific support of the University of Genoa and will be funded by Osculati S.r.l., a leading company for nautical accessories, proud to offer its contribution to a concrete project that values scientific research and protects the seabeds of the Italian seas.