Bentley Environmental Foundation announces support for Kelp forest restoration project

Bentley Motors announced funding for a major environmental initiative off the Southeastern Australian coast supported by Seatrees – a launch partner of the Bentley Environmental Foundation.

Since 2023, Bentley’s collaboration with Seatrees has enabled the Foundation to fund restoration projects across Kenya, Spain, Portugal, and the US. This new project will see the Foundation expanding into Australian waters, where funding will contribute to the restoration of Phyllospora comosa (“crayweed”), a kelp species once lost from this coastline.

The Project

Kelp forests are among the most important ecosystems on the planet, providing critical food and habitat for hundreds of species. These vast underwater forests in Australia support coastal food webs, sequester atmospheric carbon, produce oxygen for marine life, and support unique coastal biodiversity. However, during the 1980’s, crayweed disappeared from Sydney’s reefs due to poor water quality and urban impacts. Bentley’s support will help re-establish this essential habitat and food source for Sydney’s coastal marine biodiversity.    

The restoration will take place along the South Bondi subtidal rocky reef, where two sites will be restored to create 12,000 square feet of kelp forest. Working with local partners Operation Crayweed and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, the project involves transplanting healthy adult crayweed from existing populations and attaching them to deforested rocks using biodegradable mesh mats drilled into the reef. These transplanted adults will reproduce and establish new, self-sustaining populations, which divers will monitor to ensure survival and the return of marine life.    

Wayne Bruce, Chief Communications and DEI Officer, responsible for the Bentley Environmental Foundation, said: “Our award-winning Foundation is a key aspect of Bentley’s Beyond100+ strategy and commitment to global sustainability, and as part of this, we are pleased to continue our support for Seatrees and its outstanding work in restoring critical ocean ecosystems across the world. We know how important these underwater forests are for both people and planet, and with this latest project in Sydney, we hope to bring life back to an ecosystem that has been lost for decades.”    

Michael Stewart, Co-Founder and Director of Seatrees, added: “Seatrees is proud to continue its partnership with the Bentley Environmental Foundation, whose commitment to ocean health has helped us expand our restoration work across multiple ecosystems worldwide. Their support has been instrumental in accelerating kelp, mangrove, and seagrass projects around the globe. Launching this new kelp restoration effort in Sydney is a powerful next step in the impact we can achieve together.”

The Foundation

The Bentley Environmental Foundation collaborates with specialist, forward-thinking charities and NGOs, whose innovative ideas, reach and infrastructure allows Bentley to create lasting change where it’s needed most. Guided by its three strategic pillars: Protect and Regenerate Nature, Enable Changemakers, and Drive Innovative Solutions Towards Decarbonisation, since its inception, the Foundation has supported over 20 projects across 14 countries worldwide, benefitting over 636,000 people, and delivering 1,622+ targeted activities.