Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance

The Challenge

Posidonia plays a vital role in the Greek environment and economy. However, knowledge of its importance and actions protecting Posidonia are severely lacking, leaving coastal and island communities and authorities ill equipped to safeguard this foundational part of coastal ecosystems. Many of the Posidonia meadows in the Greek seas have suffered major damage from unregulated anchoring related to the heavy boat traffic in the region, and climate change-related temperature increases, which disrupt the plants’ reproductive cycle. Furthermore, Posidonia banquettes on beaches, often perceived as unsightly, are frequently removed, even though they protect and nurture coastal ecosystems, and often wash away naturally. Most people throughout the country have little awareness of Posidonia’s importance.

The Solution

The Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance, aims to change this through extensive public outreach, including:

• Partnerships with schools and training for educators and marine users across the country.
• Traditional and social media placements reaching millions of residents and visitors, including through a dedicated website and digital campaign.
• Working with stakeholders, focusing on local communities, boating and fishing professionals, tourism providers, and others to protect and promote seagrass ecosystems.

With Seacology’s active support, CPF partners with selected research, campaign and advocacy organizations with broad experience in marine conservation across Greece to implement the program, including the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN), the Ionian Environment Foundation (IEF), the Argosaronic Environment Foundation (AEF), and Aenaos Thalassa. Furthermore, the Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance initiative is expected to cultivate strategic alliances and advocacy pathways to strengthen the collective support for Posidonia oceanica preservation across diverse sectors and local communities, enhancing its protection and sustainable management at the local, national, and international levels.

The Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance will soon have its own webpage, stay tuned!

Posidonia’s Importance

Greece has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean Basin, and the 11th longest in the world at 8,498 miles. It is home to many islands, 227 of which are inhabited. The sea hosts a large population of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. 

Seagrass is a true flowering plant, complete with stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. It grows in shallow coastal waters and plays a vital ecological role by offering numerous critical services, including:

• Carbon sequestration: Posidonia helps mitigate climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide in its biomass and in sediment on the seafloor. Healthy seagrass meadows reportedly sequester more CO2 per area than terrestrial forests.
• Habitat for marine life: Seagrass meadows provide shelter for small fish, crustaceans, and other animals, making these habitats important for fisheries and ecotourism. Posidonia is a foundational species in the Greek seas — home to loggerhead sea turtles and the Mediterranean monk seal (one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world).
• Improved water quality: Posidonia filters many particles and pollutants out of seawater, supporting public health.
• Protecting coastlines: The roots of seagrass plants help stabilize the seafloor and fight erosion in the face of increasingly severe weather events. Posidonia banquettes (piles of withered seagrass leaves and shoots that form on beaches) also help protect coastal communities by dissipating waves.

Program Launch Press Resources

In English (via Seacology)

In Greek

“Seagrass is likely the most undervalued and most threatened of the Earth’s ecosystems,” said Seacology’s Executive Director Duane Silverstein. The Greek Islands Seagrass Alliance follows a successful earlier partnership with CPF in the Cyclades Islands, which also focused on outreach to schools and local stakeholders.

“We are delighted that along with our partners and with the amazing support of the Seacology Foundation we are giving one of our most precious ecosystems a voice in the coastal communities of Greece,” said Anni Mitropoulou, Executive Director of the Cyclades Preservation Fund. “It is a timely moment to shine a light on the services and wonder that Posidonia seagrass provides for people and sea life in Greece.”