The algae workshop on Nämdö

The project aims to create a place on Nämdö that becomes a platform for exploration, collaboration, and learning about the ocean's resources with a focus on algae. The initiative combines local conservation, communication, and engagement to increase knowledge and participation regarding the ocean's resources. The project owner wants to create an arena for sustainable development, skill enhancement, and innovation, by exploring algae and seaweed as resources for natural pigments for textile dyeing, but also as food, soil improvement, bio-based materials, and a solution to reduce eutrophication. By combining research, practical application, and nature guidance, a whole is created where marine sustainability meets creative, social, and economic opportunities.

The project will:

• develop a locally adapted model for small-scale algae cultivation in the Baltic Sea,
• offer participation in workshops, lectures, and study visits,
• create new collaborations between researchers, entrepreneurs, and local actors,
• create an exhibition where results, innovations, and conservation efforts are presented.

In the long term, the goal is to contribute to a more sustainable economy in the archipelago, where marine resources are used in a responsible and innovative way, but also to increase knowledge and understanding of the positive impact of algae for a healthier ocean.

By combining research, pedagogy, and innovation within the project, a model is developed for how local, small-scale activities in an eutrophicated bay can function as both a conservation effort and a business operation.