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Last week, the MEDSEA team returned to sea at the Capo Testa – Punta Falcone Marine Protected Area, in northern Sardinia, for a new monitoring mission as part of the European project ARTEMIS – “Accelerating the Restoration of Seagrass Meadows in the Mediterranean area through Innovative ecosystem-service based Solutions”, funded by the Interreg Euro-MED program. 

The goal of the mission was to collect updated data on ecosystem services and their value, with a particular focus on Posidonia oceanica meadows, an endemic Mediterranean seagrass and a key resource for biodiversity, blue carbon sequestration, and coastal protection. 

The recently completed campaign marked the second monitoring session, one year after the first and six months after the transplant of Posidonia cuttings. The investigations focused on: the conservation status of meadows in three conditions: degraded, restored, and healthy; 
the EBQI (Ecological Quality Index); the analysis of associated biodiversity. 
 

“This data will provide a solid baseline to measure, over time, the increase in ecosystem services in terms of biodiversity enhancement and habitat resilience,” explains Francesca Frau, marine biologist and MEDSEA’s Project Manager for marine activities. “In the coming months, we will also analyze the growth and rooting capacity of the transplanted cuttings.” 

The intervention is part of the broader commitment of the ARTEMIS project, which aims not only to restore the integrity of Mediterranean marine ecosystems through the protection and reforestation of Posidonia oceanica meadows, but also to assess the economic value of the benefits of restoration. 

Activities at Capo Testa – Punta Falcone, coordinated by MEDSEA Foundation’s technical team with scientific lead Francesca Frau, in collaboration with the MPA staff directed by Yuri Donno, began last spring with the collection and planting of over 2,000 Posidonia cuttings, covering a total surface of 200 square meters of meadow. 

Before the reforestation, scientific divers conducted detailed mapping of areas most impacted by human activity – particularly boating – to identify seabeds suitable for restoration. The cuttings are fixed with small stakes that allow them to take root, initiating a natural regeneration process that will be tracked and evaluated through regular monitoring cycles. 

Posidonia: a key ecosystem 

Posidonia oceanica represents one of the most valuable ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a powerful blue carbon sink, contributes to oxygen production, supports a rich marine biodiversity, and plays a crucial role in protecting coastlines from erosion. 

Measuring and valuing these ecosystem services means recognizing their economic and social importance, reinforcing the awareness that protecting seagrass meadows is not only an environmental necessity, but also an investment in the future of coastal communities.