Bentley funds kelp forest restoration project

Bentley has announced that it will provide funding for a major environmental initiative off the Southeastern Australian coast supported by Seatrees, a launch partner of the Bentley Environmental Foundation (BEF).

This new project will see the BEF expand into Australian waters, where funding will contribute to the restoration of Phyllospora comosa (crayweed), a kelp species once lost from this coastline.

The restoration will take place along the South Bondi subtidal rocky reef, where two sites will be restored to create 1,115 square metres of kelp forest. Working with local partners Operation Crayweed and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, the project involves transplanting healthy adult crayweed from existing populations and attaching them to deforested rocks using biodegradable mesh mats drilled into the reef. These transplanted adults will reproduce and establish new, self-sustaining populations, which divers will monitor to ensure survival and the return of marine life.

Guided by its three strategic pillars: Protect and Regenerate Nature, Enable Changemakers, and Drive Innovative Solutions Towards Decarbonisation, the BEF, which was launched in 2023, has supported over 20 projects across 14 countries worldwide.