Voyage 1; Solent Seascape

Yesterday we set sail with Atom #1 for its first expedition. Carrying this weighty bronze sculpture across the sea on Ailish, our 54 year old sailing boat, we will offer its carved surfaces to the hands and voices of all those dedicating their time to marine conservation, and all whose lives are part of our complex marine tapestry.

The aim? That these stories of sea restoration, of fishermen adapting to changing climates, of volunteers collecting data, of scientists and so many more, will reach and inspire all of us to join in the action for a healthier ocean. An atom forged in fire to illuminate our connection, and  light the path clearly of what we can do, together.

The sculpture? Well there is something magical and empowering in feeling connected to other people fighting for the same cause, and Atom #1 will join these voices together.

Each person who holds the sculpture as they tell their story will slightly change the surface, and over time the sculpture will bare the legacy of those hands.  

What better person to first take the sculpture into her hands, than Louise MacCullum.

As Blue Marine Foundation’s Project manager for the Solent, Louise is at the forefront of the U.K.’s largest marine restoration project. Blue Marine Foundation manage marine conservation projects across the globe, from the Aeolian Islands to the Indian Ocean, focusing on creating marine reserves and tackling unsustainable fishing, with the aim of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. The Solent Seascape Project on the South Coast of the U.K. is a ground breaking marine restoration mission, with 5 million pounds of backing, and a 5 year project plan. It is also an inspiring example of partnership work, as the project brings together the expertise of the RSPB, the Environment Agency, Project Seagrass, Portsmouth University, Coastal Partners, Isle of Wight Estuaries Project, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, CHaPRoN, Natural England, and Blue Marine Foundation.

We met Louise at Easterney landing, a wind-blown pontoon tethered to the end of a tiny peninsula at the entrance to Langstone Harbour. As we moored up alongside the pontoon, the sea state was choppy and Ailish rocked from side to side . I felt thankful for the layer of tyres lining the front of the pontoon in addition to our fenders. Down below, as we prepared to disembark, a crackling noise like a bowl of rice crispies could be heard - the sounds of krill nibbling the sides of the keel! The Solent wants to hum with life, if only we let it.

Louise walked down the pontoon, having agreed to take some time out to chat with us outside, surrounded by the Solent. I passed the sculpture into her hands, and we sat down on the pontoon, ready for her story to begin.

Louise told me of her childhood, growing up in Wales and excursions to the coast of Pembrokeshire. Her father was both a zoologist and a geologists, and would lift up the rocks along the seashore, revealing to Louise the life underneath. Excited to see what lay underneath the next rock, and the next, (and less interested at the time about the rocks themselves), Louise went on to study marine biology. Leading the Solent Seascape project is a dream her 18 year old self would be stunned to be fulfilling. 

The Solent Seascape project is a multi-faceted mission. Aiming to restore the depleted ecosystem of the Solent is a complex challenge with many different elements to take into consideration. The Solent has four habitats to restore- oyster reefs, salt marsh, seagrass meadows and seabird nesting habitats. Alongside this, the Solent is one of the busiest waterways in the U.K, with a vast array of industries, recreational activities, and livelihoods to take into account when planning the changes in this area necessary for long lasting restoration.

I asked Louise what the biggest challenges are for such an ambitious project. Whilst being supported by the government, it is the Government’s own policies that are the biggest impediments to introducing the changes necessary to make this project a success. However Louise met with the Secretary of State recently, and says that there is more hope in the potential for policy change, and faster policy change, than there has been previously.  

In terms of the longevity of the project, it is vital to ensure that after 5 years of immense work, the project continues into the future. The way they are approaching this is by working alongside stakeholders to devise strategies together. Rather than coming up with ideas internally and presenting them to citizens and industries, they are finding creative methods of stakeholder engagement to draw up strategies that come from all those who are a part of the functioning of the Solent area. All those with a vested interest in the Solent, for leisure or for work, need to be on board, and feel a part of the plans as it develops. They are also working with behavioural psychologists to devise ideas. 5 years may seem like a long time, but it isn’t long enough to make permanent changes without the right strategies in place. 

Alongside this, Hampshire Wildlife trust are leading a programme of marine champions, engaging the public with roles of communication and care with their local communities. Imbuing communities with knowledge, and giving them the tools for action, reinforces support for the project as local people feel empowered to play their part. It is through feeling connected to our environment that we feel invested in respecting and protecting it.

Louise was open about the fact that a project of this scale and duration has elements of the unknown. There may be plans that fail. More positively, different impacts to that which they predict might unfold. But approaching the project with a wise mentality of openness means they can learn from the unpredicted, and assess the decisions they make as the project develops. The innovation possible in the scope of the Solent Seascape Project, will lay the ground for other similar projects to take off around the UK and build on what they have learnt. 

Louise passed the sculpture back, her voice rising over the wind ‘to everyone else who holds this sculpture, I hope you care for nature as much as me’.