SeaForester

Direct

Restoration of marine ecosystems and ocean health: This loan will enable Seaforester to expand the area under restoration by scaling up production and deployment of seeded materials of seven more hectares for future kelp forests, reaching ten hectares under operation. The promoter will track ecological outcomes supported by new investments in cost saving direct seeding methods and pilot projects with remote monitoring partners. Once restored, the kelp ecosystems can continue to grow, spread, and regenerate for more than 20 years, creating enduring environmental and economic impact for coastal communities, beyond ecosystems benefits. 

Partnerships for research and development (R&D): Seaforester has joined forces with Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, MARE IPLeiria, Institute of Marine Research, Seaweed Solutions, The University of Western Australia and Alfred Wegener Institute towards a common goal: to combine their unique strengths and expertise to optimize scalable seed production techniques, pioneer innovative seeding approaches, and to develop tools that enable large scale marine restoration, fostering R&D.

Awareness for oceans sustainability and local engagement: coastal communities have a key role in the dissemination of information about ocean health and biodiversity. SeaForester’s relationship with the Municipality of Cascais has enabled high visibility through educational beach boards, making knowledge about underwater ecosystems accessible to residents and visitors, raising awareness about the role of kelp forests. A collaboration with local diving schools expands this impact by building technical capacity within the recreational diving community, transforming divers into active contributors to monitoring activities, habitat mapping and building local capacity for marine conservation. At the same time, the connection to fishing communities strengthens the project’s foundation by integrating traditional knowledge and ensuring that restoration efforts align with local maritime realities, supporting on logistics and sharing intimate knowledge of local reef system.

Indirect

Contribution to the restoration of fish stock: Seaforester is advancing on seaforestation approaches that contribute to one ton of fish available for harvest per hectare of kelp forests. This way, the promoter contributes to improve significantly to the restorarion of fish stocks, and to local fisheries. Committed to enhancing the accuracy and reliability of impact, the company is improving its monitoring data and methodology while continuing scientific research. 

Contribution to strengthening ecosystems that fight climate change: According to research, kelp forests remove on average an estimated 146 kilograms of phosphorus and nitrogen per hectare each year that can significantly improve coastal water quality. Additionally, recent empirical measurements indicate that Portuguese kelp forests can sequester a conservative average of 2.809 tons of carbon sequestered per year per hectare once restored forests are fully established.

SeaForester is a Portuguese environmental impact company dedicated to restoring disappearing seaweed forests along the coast. Although the company was officially founded in 2022, its roots go back much further. The story begins on the Norwegian island of Frøya, where founder Pål Andreas Bakken grew up harvesting wild seaweed for his father’s factory. That early connection to the ocean shaped a lifelong passion for seaweed and its potential to support both nature and coastal communities.

Over the years, Pål built several seaweed‑focused ventures, from pioneering seafood operations in Japan to developing innovative cultivation technologies in Norway. His work eventually expanded into large‑scale seaweed farming and the creation of companies dedicated to advancing seaweed cultivation, research, and technology.

As global seaweed forests began to decline, Pål shifted his focus from farming to restoration. This led to the launch of the SeaForester initiative in Portugal, where the team began developing low‑cost, scalable methods to help underwater forests recover. SeaForester LDA was later established to concentrate all restoration activities and bring these solutions to coastal areas in need.

Today, SeaForester’s main approach is the “green gravel” method: sowing small stones with seaweed spores, growing them in nurseries, and deploying them in authorised coastal areas. The company operates active restoration sites in Cascais and Peniche and holds the largest marine restoration licence in Europe, covering 12 locations along the Portuguese coast. Its nursery operations are run in partnership with IPLeiria and MARE‑IPL, where SeaForester conducts production, research, and ongoing refinement of its restoration techniques.

With deep roots in seaweed science, decades of practical experience, and strong partnerships with research institutions and coastal communities, SeaForester is working to bring back the underwater forests that support marine life, protect coastlines, and strengthen the resilience of marine ecosystems.