Client
BCP Council
© A Hall Marine
Surveying intertidal reef cubes at Hengistbury Head
© Bournemouth University
Monitoring artificial rockpools on Poole’s harbour walls
New marine habitat at Hengistbury Head Long Groyne
A number of environmental enhancements were incorporated into the design of the upgraded long groyne in 2024, promoting biodiversity by creating complex habitats for fish, invertebrates, and algae.
We were delighted to win an award at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2025 where it was described as “one of the UK’s most environmentally ambitious coast protection schemes, combining innovative engineering with large-scale marine biodiversity enhancements”.
Arc Marine reef cubes
ReefSystems MOSES reef units
ReefSystems tidal pools
Granite rock pools
Shallow rock pools have been ground into several of the granite rocks that make up the Long Groyne, providing a basin that is flushed by the sea on high tide and exposed at low tide.
Limestone rock pools
Rock pools have also been ground into limestone reclaimed from the original Long Groyne and placed all around the marine habitat units above. Being quite porous, and already acclimatised to the marine environment, limestone is ideal for promoting further marine growth.
MOSES reef units have been placed in the lee of the groyne
Artificial rockpools in Poole Harbour
A team from Bournemouth University (BU) installed 114 rockpools – shaped like a typical bathroom sink – in a three-year, cross channel research project. They were fixed to harbour walls across 3 sites in 2020, within Poole Harbour, on the Isle of Wight and the north coast of France. The rockpools were manufactured by Isle of Wight based eco-engineering company Artecology from low-carbon concrete.
They were monitored for the following two years and findings show that they could be an effective way to improve coastal ecosystems by helping nature to thrive in urban ports and harbours.
Below is a video clip from BBC Countryfile in December 2023; Ellie Harrison discovers the results of two marine enhancement projects in Poole Bay & Harbour – the clip starts with a BU project involving 3D printed artificial reefs that were placed on the seabed off Studland, followed by the artificial rockpools story & conclusions :
© BBC
The results of the study are also detailed in a news article we published in May 2023:
Artificial rockpools a haven for marine life
A series of artificial, concrete rockpools, bolted onto harbour walls in Poole and the Isle of Wight have provided a safe habitat for an abundance of marine life, scientists have found
Finally, Bournemouth University created this video which goes into more detail about the design of the rockpools
Arc Marine Reef Cubes
Thirteen reef cubes have been placed along the Long Groyne shoreline. Submerged on high tide and visible at low tide, these units enhance marine biodiversity. Small tide pools are cast into the top surface, while the large internal pool provides refuge for small marine organisms during the low tide. The are constructed from a porous, ecologically friendly concrete alternative material and designed with a variety of surface textures to encourage marine growth.
ReefSystems MOSES reef units
The MOSES (Modular Sealife System) reef units are modular, each comprising 40 tubes in a complex structure to provide shelter for fish, marine invertebrates and shellfish. Constructed form ecologically friendly marine concrete and mounted on a heavy base, 20 of these units have been placed underwater at the seaward end of the Long Groyne, with 5 more in the intertidal zone among the reef cubes.
ReefSystems tidal pools
Eight artificial tidal pools have been placed amongst the rock armour of the Long Groyne. They retain water in the basin to accommodate marine life even on a low tide when the sea has retreated. The rough surface and range of depths within the pool are designed to provide habitat for a variety of marine life.