The 1001 Seaforest Species initiative, spearheaded by the Sea Change Project, sheds light on the intricate biodiversity of the Great African Seaforest, located along the Western Cape coastline. The project is driven by a simple yet profound realisation: we can only protect whatwe truly know and understand.
The Great African Seaforest, stretching along South Africa’s southern coastline, is a world teeming with biodiversity, awe-inspiring beauty, and ecological importance. Yet much of its hidden life remains shrouded in mystery, waiting to be documented.
Dr Jannes Landschoff, a marine biologist with the Sea Change Project, has spearheaded an extraordinary initiative: the 1001 Seaforest Species project. This biodiversity-focused endeavore merged from his deep connection to the seaforest.
"The passion grew with the realisation of how many incredible organisms exist, how poorly known many of them still are scientifically, and how we can only care about what we know," said Landschoff, in an interview with IOL. “I felt we really need to change that.”
From tiny invertebrates to elusive species, the seaforest brims with life that often goes unnoticed. Among Landschoff's most fascinating discoveries is a new species of clam, found in False Bay, living between the spines of heart urchins - a seemingly unlikely habitat.
"But when you are a small clam," he explains, "it makes a lot of sense to live between urch in spines because the spines provide great protection.
"These smaller, often overlooked creatures play an outsized role in maintaining the ecosystem’s health. "Thousands of small species, all connected in their own way to a most complicated foodweb, ensure that this ecosystem is functioning and resilient against environmental pressures and changes," Landschoff notes.
The Sea Change Project, known globally for its groundbreaking documentary My OctopusTeacher, uses initiatives like the 1001 Seaforest Species to bridge science and storytelling. “Sea Change aims to tell stories from a heart space," says Landschoff.
"We live at times of greatest challenges and adversity, and yet nature is the source of solutions to perhaps most of our problems.”
Landschoff’s work reflects a belief in the power of connection - between people and nature.“The more I learn about the animals in the seaforest, the more I realise how much there is to fight for every day. All I do through the 1001 project is to pass this realisation on to those who feel that it resonates with them.”Despite its resilience, the Great African Seaforest faces significant threats. Coastal marine ecosystems worldwide are grappling with the impacts of climate change and human activities. Locally, fishing, particularly recreational fishing, is a major challenge.
"We have lost most of our large fish species, adult fish, and the cultures and behaviours that once shaped the ecology of the kelp forest," explains Landschoff. He refers to this as a case of shifting baselines."
In 10 years of diving, I personally have never seen an adult Black Musselcracker or a mature Red Stumpnose because such fish do not exist anymore.
"Yet he remains optimistic. "I am sure they could come back if we let them. Our views and stories at Sea Change provide a refurbished lens onto the natural world - one where humans see the ocean not just as a resource but as a living system we are part of and have a reciprocal relationship with."
The work of the Sea Change Project and the 1001 Seaforest Species initiative has already begun to change perceptions. "For many people in Cape Town and beyond, this shift has already happened," says Landschoff. "Of course, we need to continue with this work. We are also stronger together."
Through its blend of science, storytelling, and passion, the Sea Change Project is not just documenting life in the Great African Seaforest - it’s inspiring a new generation of ocean conservationists to see, value, and protect this unique underwater world.
IOL