HASTINGS KELP PROJECT
WHO WE ARE
Our nonprofit organization is dedicated to reintroducing kelp seaweed along the coastline stretching from Rock a Nore in Hastings to Pett Level beach. Our goal is to establish thriving kelp forests to serve as vital habitats, offering a nursery, breeding ground, and shelter for a diverse array of wildlife, including mammals, fish, invertebrates, and birds. Additionally, we aim to mitigate CO₂ levels through these lush kelp ecosystems while also enhancing coastal resilience against flooding.
Our objectives
Our project encompasses a variety of aims and objectives, with our primary focus being on transforming 4.5 miles of pristine cliff-fronted shingle beach, adorned with diverse rock formations, into a sanctuary for wildlife. Our ultimate vision is to witness seals, porpoises, and dolphins playing amidst a bustling community of marine life, including lobsters, crabs, starfish, and urchins, flourishing along the entire coastline.
Wildife habitat
Kelp forests serve as vital habitats, offering sustenance, nursery spaces, and refuge to a diverse range of mammals, fish, invertebrates, and birds. They provide essential protection against predators and storms, ensuring the survival and thriving of numerous species within their ecosystem. The growth of kelp here can bring more wildlife to the shoreline.
Flood and coastal defenses
Close to the shore, kelp forests act as a natural barrier, dampening the impact of waves. Additionally, kelp plays a crucial role in mitigating coastal erosion and filtering pollutants from the water.
Carbon sequestration
Kelp has the remarkable capacity to absorb up to 20 times more carbon dioxide per acre than terrestrial forests, thereby playing a significant role in mitigating the impacts of climate change. Moreover, it surpasses all other marine plants combined in carbon sequestration, further contributing to the regulation of atmospheric carbon levels.
Local ecoservices
Kelp forests provide calmer, cleaner seas which can help the town and tourism as they become a haven of increased marine biodiversity for rockpoolers and explorers.
WHERE ARE WE
Beyond the quaint 16th-century fishing huts at Rock a Nore unfolds a pristine expanse of natural beach and cliffs stretching for 4.5 miles. This coastal haven harbour's dinosaur fossils and a diverse array of indigenous flora and fauna. Scattered along the shoreline are various rock formations leading to Pett Level beach, enveloped by the enchanting Hastings SSSI Country Park. Extending beyond the visible horizon, portions of the rocky terrain persist past the low tide mark, providing a sanctuary for seals, crabs, anemones, starfish, and other marine life. Beneath the waves could lie a thriving kelp forest, offering wildlife ample opportunity to establish larger, more secure habitats shielded from the elements amidst a rich tapestry of botanical wonders.