Jim Gowans
Reasons to believe in the power of the seas
1 . Globally , the Blue Economy is worth $ 1.5 trillion , provides over 30 million jobs and food for three billion people . And that ’ s predicted to double by 2030 . A similar initiative to Sussex Bay is The Great Blue Wall , an African initiative to secure livelihoods for 70 million people , restoring two million hectares of ocean , capturing 100 million tonnes of CO2 . The network of seascapes will be connected by a living blue wall that act as regional ecological corridor created by conserved and restored blue ecosystems such as mangroves , seagrass and corals . 2 . Another initiative is Ireland ’ s Eco Showboat , the brainchild of Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly who travelled the coast of Ireland by solar powered electric boat on a zero carbon journey to connect scientists , artists , communities to spark climate action . 3 . We ’ ve lost half of our coral reefs in the last 30 years and are estimated to lose 90 % by 2050 because of climate change , pollution and over fishing . The better news is that scientists have found that marine ecosystems recover very fast and we can restore marine life by 2050 if we act now . At the Museum of Underwater Art in Australia , underwater sculpture artist Jason DeCaires Taylor has created installations and beautiful artificial environments installations also lure divers and visitors away from the Great Barrier Reef , helping to protect it . 4 . Wetlands are biological super systems that store up to 50 times more carbon than rainforests . 40 % of all plants & animals live and breed in wetlands and over a billion people depend on them for their living . We need to preserve our wetlands and our waterways to survive . The floating gardens is a project in Bangladesh to bring wetlands back to life using ancient Aztec traditions providing food , livelihoods and flood defences , combating impacts of climate change . 5 . The South African charity Waves for Change is a project offering surf therapy to children . By making the ocean accessible , children are learning new skills , and having a magical , life changing experience . 6 . Alejandro Duran , a Mexican environmentalist and artist , has created The Museum of Garbage and Washed Up , an installation and photography project using rubbish that washes up on Mexico ’ s Caribbean coast , a UNESCO world heritage site . His mission is to wake us up to the impacts of
plastic pollution and consumerism . Alejandro and a team of volunteers found trash washed up from 58 countries and 6 continents .
How You Can Get Involved 1 . Help to regenerate Sussex Bay by donating to the crowdfunding campaign . 2 . Volunteer with one of the Sussex Bay projects such as Sussex Underwater , the Sussex Kelp Project or the Sussex Dolphin Project . 3 . Document wildlife sightings at the coast and get involved in citizen science . For more information , visit sussexbay . org . uk 4 . Submit your idea . What ’ s your vision for Sussex Bay ? Be part of the region ’ s biggest , boldest coastal collaboration ever . Contact hello @ sussexbay . org . uk
Conservation Matters
Jim Gowans
Roger Vincent Amerena 1950 – 2024 Roger Amerena , who died in June having battled motor neurone disease for eight months , championed the cause of conservation areas and the protection of heritage assets as joint chairman of the City Council ’ s Conservation Advisory Group . He was also the long-standing chair of the City Council ’ s Commemorative Plaque Panel . Born and bred in Brighton , his home since 1985 was Montpellier Hall in the Montpelier and Clifton Hill conservation area , a Grade II listed building of Italianate design built in
1846 . Noted for his signature top hat worn at blue plaque events , he organised the unveiling last year of the commemorative blue plaque to the artist R . H . Nibbs who lived at 7 Buckingham Place in our West Hill conservation area .
Commemorative Plaque Panel While the Panel members search for a new chair with the energy and enthusiasm of Roger Amerena it is an opportune moment to draw attention to the history of this panel which was set up by the then Brighton Corporation in 1923 . The first plaques were in Portland stone and commemorated William IV and Queen Adelaide , Gideon Mantell , Maria Fitzherbert , Herbert Spencer , and Charles Dickens .
The second series of plaques included the artist Aubrey Beardsley , the 19th century illustrator , whose plaque is in the West Hill conservation area at 31 Buckingham Road ( facing West Hill Place ). Another plaque in the West Hill conservation area is in Brighton Station . This commemorates John Saxby , the engineer noted for his work on railway signalling . This plaque is an example of the plaques in Westmoreland green slate which were introduced when it was discovered that the earlier Portland stone plaques were weathering badly . When the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove was created in 1997 it was decided to adopt the English Heritage design of blue glaze with white lettering .