Training in the ecological restoration of shallow coastal seabeds

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

This University Diploma was designed by the Faculty of Science of theUniversity of Montpellier and is certified by Mediterranean Sea Cluster.

Objectives

1. Know 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, difference with the "avoid-reduce-compensate" sequence, permit applications)
4. Understanding the limits of ecological restoration
5. Be able to build a case to convince a project owner to undertake an ecological restoration project.
6. Being able to position ecological restoration in relation to other coastal and marine management tools such as pollution control and non-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. Being able to evaluate the effectiveness of restoration measures

Program

Module 1 (5 days of attendance):

• Ecological restoration of coastal shallow waters: definition and principle + reminder
  Mediterranean ecology
• Ecological restoration policies, complementarity, and regulation
• Assessment of target achievement and ecological effectiveness
• Actors involved in ecological restoration and their prerogatives
• Artificial reefs, a good solution?
• Restoration of marine plant communities (angiosperms, macroalgae)
• Restoration of coralligenous habitats and corals
• Restauration sizing and performance evaluation (Roundtable)
• Group work on concrete cases (5 x 4 students)
• Restoration of nursery functions in port areas
• Ecological restoration and biomimicry
• Restoration of movable property
• Economic and financial issues
• Meeting with stakeholders and specialized companies
• Overview of other actions and specific cases
• Presentation and discussion of specific cases, self-assessment and peer assessment.

Module 2: Writing the thesis (supervised personal work):
During this module, each learner will be required to study a particular system based on a real-life case study
. They will be required to produce a reflective and synthetic piece of work on
a restoration method that is subject to controversy or uncertainty (e.g., use
of artificial reefs, restoration of soft habitats, evaluation of existing restoration projects
, shipwreck immersion, species transplantation, etc.). This case study
will result in the production of a written report, an oral presentation, and a debate with
professionals from different fields.

Module 3 (1 day of attendance in June, remote learning acceptable):

• Presentation of trainees' case studies
• Discussion with experts, Q&A, feedback on the university diploma
  The aim is to critically analyze each case study and consider future prospects.

Training session

A training session for the University Diploma in "Ecological Restoration of Small Coastal Seabeds" is planned for the current year:

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

Are you interested in this training course?

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

See the degree brochure: