Training in the ecological restoration of shallow coastal seabeds

Unique in France, this program provides students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to design, evaluate, and implement ecological restoration projects in coastal marine environments, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean.

This university degree was designed by the Faculty of Sciences at theUniversity of Montpellier and is accredited by Pôle Mer Méditerranée.

Objectives

1. Understand the definition of ecological restoration and its principles
2. Learn about existing ecological restoration methods in marine environments
3. Understanding the regulatory framework (Marine Strategy Framework Directive, differences from the “avoid-reduce-compensate” approach, permit applications)
4. Understanding the Limits of Ecological Restoration
5. Be able to develop a case for convincing a project owner to undertake an ecological restoration project
6. Be able to situate ecological restoration within the context of other coastal and marine management tools, such as pollution control and the prevention of degradation
7. Be able to propose and implement a restoration project in a marine environment
8. Be able to critically evaluate a restoration project
9. Be able to assess the effectiveness of restoration measures

Program

Module 1 (5 days of in-person training):

• Ecological restoration of coastal shallow waters: definition and principles + overview
  , Mediterranean Ecology
• Ecological Restoration Policies, Complementarity, and Regulation
• Assessment of the extent to which objectives have been met and ecological effectiveness
• Stakeholders in ecological restoration and their responsibilities
• Are artificial reefs a good solution?
• Restoration of marine plant communities (angiosperms, macroalgae)
• Restoration of coralligenous communities and corals
• Scaling Restoration Projects and Evaluating Performance (Roundtable Discussion)
• Group work on real-world case studies (5 groups of 4 students)
• Restoration of port area nursery functions
• Ecological restoration and biomimicry
• Restoration of movable cultural property
• Economic and Financial Issues
• Meeting with industry professionals and specialized companies
• Overview of other initiatives and case studies
• Presentation and discussion of real-world cases, self-assessment and peer assessment.

Module 2: Thesis Writing (supervised independent study):
During this module, each student will study a specific system based
on a real-world case study. They must produce a reflective and synthesizing paper on
a restoration method subject to controversy or uncertainty (for example, the use
of artificial reefs, restoration of soft habitats, evaluation of existing restoration projects
, wreck immersion, species transplantation…). This case study
will result in the production of a written report, an oral presentation, and a discussion with
professionals from various fields.

Module 3 (1 day of in-person instruction in June; online participation is acceptable):

• Presentation of the interns' case studies
• Discussion with experts, Q&A, and feedback on the continuing education course “
  ” The goal is to critically analyze each case study and discuss future prospects.

Training session

A training session for the university diploma in “Ecological Restoration of Shallow Coastal Seabeds” is scheduled for this year:

• March 9–13, 2026: In-person classes
• Online tutoring 
• Exam in June 2026 (date to be announced)

Are you interested in this training course?

For more information and to apply, please contactsfc-fds@umontpellier.fr

View the program brochure: