Nurturing Future Guardians of the Ocean through the Kelp Forest Foundation's Stewardship Program
The Blue House Fellowship Programme, a unique initiative of the Kelp Forest Foundation (KFF), is dedicated to nurturing scientific and practical talent in the field of natural ecosystems, with a particular focus on kelp forests. This programme aims to provide rolling scholarships and apprenticeships to Namibian students, especially women, and pairs them with peers from universities abroad.
Kelp forests are complex marine habitats teeming with life and underrated as a hero in combating climate change. They improve water quality, buffer coastlines from storms, and draw carbon from the atmosphere. The Kelp Forest Foundation, a non-profit organization, works to better understand these vital ecosystems and facilitates collaboration, research, reforestation, value creation, and advocacy around the world.
The Blue House Fellowship Programme is more than just a funding body for science research. It's a home where big ideas are nurtured, and cultural exchange blossoms. As Beata Tooleni, a master's graduate and fellow, describes, it's a learning platform where people from different backgrounds, industries, topics, and fields of study live together and learn from each other.
The programme addresses three Ocean Decade Challenges: Sustainably nourish the global population, Unlock ocean-based solutions to climate change, and Skills, knowledge, technology, and participation for all. It partners with scientists, universities, and businesses to build a sustainable kelp industry, restore kelp forests, and fundraise for projects to investigate key aspects of kelp health.
The GenOcean campaign, an official Ocean Decade campaign, focuses on youth and citizen science opportunities for the ocean. The Blue House Fellowship Programme aligns with this initiative, fostering the next generation of ocean stewards.
Much about kelp forests still remains a mystery, and the programme encourages research in this area. For instance, Sakarias Malyenge, another master's student, tracks commercial fish species in kelp forests as part of his research. Dortea Hamukoto, a master's fellow, is studying the diversity of marine invertebrates in kelp forests, comparing kelp farms and wild forest ecosystems. Paula Sacheus, a fellow, investigates the ability of kelp forests to rebalance ocean chemistry by monitoring pH and oxygen levels in water samples.
The Blue House Fellowship Programme is a partnership between Stuchtey Daughters & Sons, the Kelp Forest Foundation, Kelp Blue, and is supported by De Beers Group, Global Seaweed Coalition, and other supporters. It provides comprehensive practical training and skill building to its fellows, including sea safety, SCUBA diving, presenting and public speaking, networking, species identification, lab techniques, seabird safety and monitoring, research vessel operation, and marine mammal entanglement prevention.
In the last four years, the Blue House Fellowship Programme has funded nine Namibian master's students and supported 12 international students working alongside those fellows. This programme is making a bigger impact on Namibian students, opening doors to opportunities they might not have had otherwise.
For those interested in getting involved, follow the Kelp Forest Foundation's updates and reach out through their official communication channels for application information. The Blue House Fellowship Programme is a scholarship program for early career ocean professionals in Namibia pursuing graduate degrees in marine science. It's a fantastic opportunity to contribute to global ocean conservation efforts and foster a deeper understanding of kelp forests and their ecological importance.
[1] Kelp Forest Foundation. (n.d.). Blue House Fellowship Programme. Retrieved from https://kelpforestfoundation.org/blue-house-fellowship-programme/ [2] Ocean Decade. (n.d.). GenOcean Campaign. Retrieved from https://www.oceandecade.org/genocean-campaign/
- The Blue House Fellowship Programme, an initiative of the Kelp Forest Foundation (KFF), is a unique scholarship program for early career ocean professionals in Namibia, focusing on environmental-science – specifically, the study of kelp forests, which are heroes in the fight against climate-change due to their abilities to improve water quality, buffer coastlines, and draw carbon from the atmosphere.
- The programme's educational and self-development opportunities go beyond just science research, offering lifelong-learning experiences through skills-training and cultural exchange, with a goal of fostering the next generation of ocean stewards in collaboration with the GenOcean campaign, an official Ocean Decade campaign.
- As part of the programme, students engage in various research projects, such as Sakarias Malyenge's tracking of commercial fish species in kelp forests or Dortea Hamukoto's study of marine invertebrate diversity in kelp forests, comparing kelp farms and wild forest ecosystems.
- The Blue House Fellowship Programme provides comprehensive practical training and career-development resources, covering topics like sea safety, SCUBA diving, species identification, lab techniques, and public speaking, further preparing students for their future roles in ocean conservation.
