The Dogger Bank—once the ecological heart of the North Sea—has suffered decades of overexploitation despite formal designations as a marine protected area. Industrial pressures such as bottom trawling, oil and gas drilling, and shipping continue to degrade this critical habitat, exposing the gap between policy and practice. Emilie Reuchlin, co-founder and co-director of the Doggerland Foundation, will share insights from nearly two decades of marine advocacy and restoration work.

Her talk will explore three intertwined strategies for rewilding the Dogger Bank seascape: resistance (legal action to enforce protections and hold governments accountable), restoration (rewilding projects such as oyster and horse mussel reef rebuilding to bring back lost ecosystem elements), and representation (innovating governance models that give ecosystems a voice in decision-making). By integrating legal tools, scientific expertise, and a vision for ecological rights, Reuchlin and her colleagues aim to transform one of the busiest seas in the world into a model of resilience and regeneration.

Doggerland Foundation’s work demonstrates both the urgency and possibility of restoring degraded marine ecosystems. Reuchlin will argue that if rewilding can succeed in the North Sea—among the most industrialized marine regions on Earth—it can inspire global efforts to reimagine our relationship with the ocean.

Emilie Reuchlin, Co-founder and CEO of the Doggerland Foundation, has worked for two decades to achieve lasting results in ocean restoration and protection, particularly in the North Sea. Her education includes a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Amsterdam, a Master's degree in Environment and Resource Management from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and a Master's degree in Marine Biology from Dalhousie University.