The EU Nature Restoration Regulation as an opportunity for kelp forest conservation and restoration in Europe.

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Main Authors: Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina, Alvite, Nerea, Arenas, Francisco, Barrientos, Sara, Bischof, Kai, Burel, Thomas, de Bettignies, Thibaut, De Clerck, Olivier, Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine, Earp, Hannah S, Filbee-Dexter, Karen, Franco, João N, Gamfeldt, Lars, Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja, Haugan, Peter, Leclerc, Jean-Charles, Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus, Reddy, Maggie M, Staehr, Peter A U, Stedt, Kristoffer, Toth, Gunilla, Verbeek, Jan, Vranken, Sofie, Barreiro, Rodolfo, Wernberg, Thomas
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Annals of botany 2026
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author Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina
Alvite, Nerea
Arenas, Francisco
Barrientos, Sara
Bischof, Kai
Burel, Thomas
de Bettignies, Thibaut
De Clerck, Olivier
Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine
Earp, Hannah S
Filbee-Dexter, Karen
Franco, João N
Gamfeldt, Lars
Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja
Haugan, Peter
Leclerc, Jean-Charles
Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus
Reddy, Maggie M
Staehr, Peter A U
Stedt, Kristoffer
Toth, Gunilla
Verbeek, Jan
Vranken, Sofie
Barreiro, Rodolfo
Wernberg, Thomas
author_facet Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina
Alvite, Nerea
Arenas, Francisco
Barrientos, Sara
Bischof, Kai
Burel, Thomas
de Bettignies, Thibaut
De Clerck, Olivier
Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine
Earp, Hannah S
Filbee-Dexter, Karen
Franco, João N
Gamfeldt, Lars
Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja
Haugan, Peter
Leclerc, Jean-Charles
Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus
Reddy, Maggie M
Staehr, Peter A U
Stedt, Kristoffer
Toth, Gunilla
Verbeek, Jan
Vranken, Sofie
Barreiro, Rodolfo
Wernberg, Thomas
Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina
Alvite, Nerea
Arenas, Francisco
Barrientos, Sara
Bischof, Kai
Burel, Thomas
de Bettignies, Thibaut
De Clerck, Olivier
Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine
Earp, Hannah S
Filbee-Dexter, Karen
Franco, João N
Gamfeldt, Lars
Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja
Haugan, Peter
Leclerc, Jean-Charles
Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus
Reddy, Maggie M
Staehr, Peter A U
Stedt, Kristoffer
Toth, Gunilla
Verbeek, Jan
Vranken, Sofie
Barreiro, Rodolfo
Wernberg, Thomas
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents The EU Nature Restoration Regulation as an opportunity for kelp forest conservation and restoration in Europe. Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina Alvite, Nerea Arenas, Francisco Barrientos, Sara Bischof, Kai Burel, Thomas de Bettignies, Thibaut De Clerck, Olivier Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine Earp, Hannah S Filbee-Dexter, Karen Franco, João N Gamfeldt, Lars Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja Haugan, Peter Leclerc, Jean-Charles Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus Reddy, Maggie M Staehr, Peter A U Stedt, Kristoffer Toth, Gunilla Verbeek, Jan Vranken, Sofie Barreiro, Rodolfo Wernberg, Thomas Kelp forests are among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, yet they are currently facing unprecedented degradation and decline. In Europe, the conservation of these key ecosystems has historically relied on a plethora of disconnected national policies and passive protection, and they have frequently been underrepresented in governance frameworks. The recent adoption of the European Union Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) represents a transformative shift, establishing the first legally binding targets for large-scale conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems shared by European Union members. Here, we discuss the challenges and opportunities that the NRR presents for European kelp forests and associated ecosystem services across Europe. As the NRR sets ambitious mandates for mapping habitats, condition assessments, and restoration by 2030-2050, its success depends on overcoming existing data gaps as well as on financial and technical challenges. We highlight how the NRR provides a valuable instrument to initiate immediate action across regions, and we propose a set of priority actions to achieve the NRR targets and address current scientific gaps. We emphasize the need for transboundary harmonization of monitoring protocols and methods for establishing reference areas for healthy kelp forests, the development of high-resolution maps for habitat distribution and condition, the establishment of clear-cut criteria for identifying resilient restoration areas (i.e., priority sites capable of achieving and maintaining favourable conservation status under NRR targets), and the development of standardized condition indicators (e.g., canopy density, indicator species) to assess "good condition" across different ecoregions. By linking legal requirements with science-based strategies, the NRR provides an opportunity to finally integrate kelp forests into European marine governance and achieve long-term sustainability for these critical ecosystems.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_42269101
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Annals of botany
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle The EU Nature Restoration Regulation as an opportunity for kelp forest conservation and restoration in Europe.
Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina
Alvite, Nerea
Arenas, Francisco
Barrientos, Sara
Bischof, Kai
Burel, Thomas
de Bettignies, Thibaut
De Clerck, Olivier
Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine
Earp, Hannah S
Filbee-Dexter, Karen
Franco, João N
Gamfeldt, Lars
Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja
Haugan, Peter
Leclerc, Jean-Charles
Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus
Reddy, Maggie M
Staehr, Peter A U
Stedt, Kristoffer
Toth, Gunilla
Verbeek, Jan
Vranken, Sofie
Barreiro, Rodolfo
Wernberg, Thomas
The EU Nature Restoration Regulation as an opportunity for kelp forest conservation and restoration in Europe. Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina Alvite, Nerea Arenas, Francisco Barrientos, Sara Bischof, Kai Burel, Thomas de Bettignies, Thibaut De Clerck, Olivier Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine Earp, Hannah S Filbee-Dexter, Karen Franco, João N Gamfeldt, Lars Gunnarsdóttir, Lilja Haugan, Peter Leclerc, Jean-Charles Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus Reddy, Maggie M Staehr, Peter A U Stedt, Kristoffer Toth, Gunilla Verbeek, Jan Vranken, Sofie Barreiro, Rodolfo Wernberg, Thomas Kelp forests are among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, yet they are currently facing unprecedented degradation and decline. In Europe, the conservation of these key ecosystems has historically relied on a plethora of disconnected national policies and passive protection, and they have frequently been underrepresented in governance frameworks. The recent adoption of the European Union Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) represents a transformative shift, establishing the first legally binding targets for large-scale conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems shared by European Union members. Here, we discuss the challenges and opportunities that the NRR presents for European kelp forests and associated ecosystem services across Europe. As the NRR sets ambitious mandates for mapping habitats, condition assessments, and restoration by 2030-2050, its success depends on overcoming existing data gaps as well as on financial and technical challenges. We highlight how the NRR provides a valuable instrument to initiate immediate action across regions, and we propose a set of priority actions to achieve the NRR targets and address current scientific gaps. We emphasize the need for transboundary harmonization of monitoring protocols and methods for establishing reference areas for healthy kelp forests, the development of high-resolution maps for habitat distribution and condition, the establishment of clear-cut criteria for identifying resilient restoration areas (i.e., priority sites capable of achieving and maintaining favourable conservation status under NRR targets), and the development of standardized condition indicators (e.g., canopy density, indicator species) to assess "good condition" across different ecoregions. By linking legal requirements with science-based strategies, the NRR provides an opportunity to finally integrate kelp forests into European marine governance and achieve long-term sustainability for these critical ecosystems.
title The EU Nature Restoration Regulation as an opportunity for kelp forest conservation and restoration in Europe.
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42269101/