UK biodiversity designers, Artecology, win cross-Channel research work for marine ecology

Isle of Wight eco-engineering design company, Artecology, has been selected to take part in a major international marine conservation project.

MARINEFF, supported by the European cross-border Cooperation Programme and the European Regional Development Fund with 9 UK and French partners, will develop and upscale new ways of enhancing and protecting urban coast and estuary ecosystems at test sites in the Solent and on the north coast of France.

Artecology, based in Sandown Bay, was chosen to work with project lead Bournemouth University in designing and testing constructed habitats for marine wildlife. Nigel George from Artecology explains: “Our development of the artificial rockpools known as ‘Vertipools’, our knowledge of materials and our background in ecology, put us in an excellent position to bid for this exciting project. We were delighted to win the tender, not just because of the chance it brings to collaborate with such a fantastic team of researchers, but also because we are an Island company and we want to see the Isle of Wight establishing itself as a world leader in eco-engineering and innovation for biodiversity.”

The MARINEFF project will run for a period of three years.

Project website – http://marineff-project.eu/en/marineff-2/