Fugro and its subsidiary EOMAP® will bring Earth observation expertise to m-CONNECT, a four-year Horizon Europe-funded research project led by the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Germany. The consortium of more than 20 partners aims to safeguard coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass meadows by viewing them not as separate habitats, but as one interconnected system.
Coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows are traditionally managed in isolation, even though they are naturally linked. Together, they support biodiversity, store carbon, protect coastlines, sustain fisheries, and underpin the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. Understanding how these ecosystems influence one another is essential to effective conservation and climate resilience.
Through m-CONNECT (Management of Coastal Networks Nurtured through Ecosystem Assessment, Collaboration & Technology), partners will work with Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and regional stakeholders to develop practical tools and guidance to support more effective conservation and restoration of connected coastal ecosystems. Activities span the Coral Triangle, Vanuatu, island Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.
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Fugro and EOMAP® will use satellite observations and environmental data to identify and map connections between coastal ecosystems and better understand how they function together. Their work will help researchers, conservation organisations and policymakers use this information to support conservation and restoration efforts.
Fugro will also help share the project's findings with organisations that can apply them in practice beyond the research phase.
"The long-term health of coastal environments depends on balancing the needs of nature and the people who rely on it. By bringing together Earth observation, ecological expertise and local perspectives, m-CONNECT will help turn complex environmental information into practical insights that support more effective stewardship of coastal ecosystems, strengthen community resilience and enhance the sustainable use of marine resources," said Pooja Mahapatra, Head of Product for Climate and Nature at Fugro.
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