Three Year Artificial Rock Pool Study Draws To A Close.

PhD researcher Jess Bone from Bournemouth University seen here talking about the artificial rock pools deployed in Poole Harbour as part of a European study on marine biodiversity. The project entitled MARINEEF is a collaboration between France and the UK, with the goal of developing new coastal infrastructure that will enhance biodiversity in cross-channel waters. Jess has worked tirelessly to collect high-quality datasets from the artificial rock pools for the three year programme. The overall MARINEFF project has been led by The Caen Institute of Civil Engineering and Construction (ESITC Caen), France. The funding under the European cross-border cooperation Programme INTERREG VA France (Channel) is complemented by the ERDF contribution, involving nine French and British partners.

From Bournemouth University, Dr Roger Herbert and Professor Rick Stafford, from the Faculty of Science and Technology, co-led one MARINEFF action plan, ‘Biomimetic marine infrastructure for the improvement of the ecological status of the marine environment’, which includes the artificial rock installation at Poole.

Our team at Artecology hand crafted 114 MARINEEF artificial rock pools for installation at four sites across the Southern England and Northern France. The MARINEEF artificial rock pool design is based on a simplified version of our ‘Sandown’ model Vertipool that has been installed at multiple sites around U.K. coastlines. Below is a short video showing how we use hand crafting techniques to make our Vertipools.