Grown in the Shadow of Mountains is a new film by Seatrees in partnership with Hope Zones Foundation diving deep into Portugal’s ancient bond with the sea and the bold possibilities of harvesting from it at Nazaré.
More than 700 years ago, Portugal’s “Farmer King,” Dinis, decreed that seaweed must be harvested from the ocean for fertilizer. This order developed a powerful maritime based economy that sustained Portugal’s coastal communities for centuries. Today, Seatrees and Hope Zones Foundation are dedicated to bringing this forgotten wisdom back to life.
Hope Zones Foundation + Seatrees Create a Bedrock for the Future
Along the Atlantic coast of Nazaré beneath the world’s largest and most dangerous waves, Hope Zones Foundation is spearheading an initiative to revive Portugal’s ancient land-sea connection by establishing the nation’s first regenerative seaweed farm. With the help of Seatrees, Hope Zones Foundation and the local fishing community are rebuilding these powerhouse underwater forests which have the capacity to revive biodiversity, strengthen local fish populations, support the coastal economy, and nourish the land.
Led by professional surfer João de Macedo, co-founder of the World Surfing Reserves movement and President of Hope Zones Foundation, this is a surfer-led project to help ocean conservation through regenerative seaweed farming. De Macedo is supported by Nazaré big wave surfers Nic Van Rupp and Laura Crane.
Hope Zones Foundation is a non-profit based in Nazaré’s fishing harbor, in direct view of the waves from that famed peak. The energy behind the project, fueled by a passion for giant waves and a desire to give back to the ocean, encourages local Portuguese fishermen to look to kelp farming as a way of supplementing their income to stay solvent. Climate change and coastal development has impacted much of Portugal's coastline and are responsible for the decrease in much of its natural kelp forests. Today, de Macedo and Seatrees have a targeted program to regenerate those forests through hand-planted grow lines and harvesting the seaweed in view of this famed surf zone.
The 9-minute film, Grown in the Shadow of Mountains, explores the real possibilities of a new blue economy for Portugal's coastal communities. One that is rooted in tradition, driven by regeneration, and built for a more resilient ocean.
You can plant your own kelp seedling to fuel this effort and help grow Portugal’s underwater forests at Seatrees.org.
Stay tuned for the full write up on this groundbreaking project in the Spring26 issue of Session Magazine!
