Posidonia: Keep Off The Grass

Marcial Bardolet Richter is a marine conservation expert dedicated to the protection of Posidonia oceanica and Mediterranean marine ecosystems. With over two decades of experience in environmental management, he has led the Posidonia Surveillance Service under the Balearic Government’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment since 2017, overseeing efforts to prevent anchoring damage, enforce marine protection policies, and promote sustainable navigation practices.
Marcial has been instrumental in implementing geospatial monitoring technologies, including the AtlasPosidonia, which has significantly reduced illegal anchoring over seagrass meadows while increasing public awareness of their ecological importance. His work integrates science, policy, and community engagement to foster long-term conservation strategies that are both effective and widely adopted.
Beyond his governmental role, he is president of Mallorca Preservation and also an active co-funder of the Mediterranean Posidonia Network contributing to regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and policy development for the conservation of Posidonia oceanica.
Passionate about bridging science and the arts, Marcial has collaborated on artistic projects that highlight environmental themes, including installations by Brian Eno (77 million paintings) and literary and music festivals (Hay Festival). He believes that storytelling, music, and visual arts are powerful tools for raising awareness about marine conservation and inspiring collective action.

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Zooming out – are we winning the fight? Is there cause for optimism?

We’re still facing uncertainty, but at the same time, there is growing motivation and hope. In recent years, I’ve seen that awareness is increasing, not only in the Mediterranean, but across the planet. People are starting to realise that seagrass meadows are not just beautiful underwater plants; they’re essential ecosystems for marine life.
Seagrass supports biodiversity, captures carbon at higher rates than tropical forests, and protects our coasts from erosion. It’s one of our strongest natural allies in the face of climate change.
We have seen, and are part, of better coordination in the Mediterranean, and collaboration is growing between scientists, local communities, NGOs, and institutions.
But we’re also running out of time. The efforts we make in the Mediterranean Sea could become a model for seagrass conservation across the world’s oceans.

What’s the one thing that could be done to transform the situation overnight?

The first step is urgently stopping the impacts. To achieve this, we need more monitoring, better mapping, effective tools, and increased awareness. If I could only choose one thing… Awareness!
Citizens need to understand how important seagrass is: this underwater forest supports biodiversity, captures carbon at higher rates than tropical forests, and protects our coasts from erosion.

What’s your favourite thing about seagrass?

It’s a truly new seagrass community, one that brings us together to share knowledge for conservation. When I think of Posidonia seagrass, I genuinely feel that we are somehow uniting the Mediterranean, no matter our region, country, or continent. At the same time, it gives me a deep emotional connection to a marine landscape that gives me a sense of harmony with nature and the ocean.