Can We Save Kelp Forests? Ocean Wise and Kelp Forest Alliance Unveil Comprehensive Kelp Monitoring Guide 

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(October 22, 2024) – Ocean Wise and the Kelp Forest Alliance are excited to release a first-of-its-kind guidebook to standardize the monitoring of kelp forest ecosystems globally. Monitoring Kelp Forest Ecosystems: A Guidebook to Quantifying Biodiversity, Ecosystem Health, and Ecosystem Benefits is a comprehensive resource for monitoring the health of kelp forests, providing critical tools for applications including the restoration, protection, and stewardship of these essential underwater forests.

Kelp forests are foundational for life both underwater and on land. They support an astonishing array of biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services that help mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Additionally, they hold significant cultural and existence value for Indigenous peoples and local communities.

These underwater forests are vital for the health of our planet, but unfortunately, kelp forests are disappearing at an alarming rate.

“Over 50% of kelp forests have declined in the past 50 years due to climate change and ecosystem imbalances. Global efforts to protect and restore these necessary ecosystems have never been more urgent. But to make a compelling case for kelp forest conservation, you must be able to measure their value and the impact of your interventions” – Carlos Drews, Executive Vice President of Conservation, Ocean Wise.

While ocean conservation has been around for decades, kelp restoration is a relatively new frontier. Still in its discovery phase, kelp restoration research has focused on uncovering the most effective ways to protect and restore kelp forests. But reversing the global loss of kelp requires scalable, innovative, cost-effective, and collaborative efforts.

Conservation without proper monitoring and reporting is at best an estimation. That’s where this guidebook comes in—offering standardized methods to ensure data can be assessed, shared, and compared across projects.

“As the field of kelp restoration grows, the standardized approach outlined in Monitoring Kelp Forest Ecosystems: A Guidebook to Quantifying Biodiversity, Ecosystem Health, and Ecosystem Benefits will enable global collaboration, helping restoration practitioners share knowledge and improve outcomes.” – Scott Bohachyk, Director, Seaforestation, Ocean Wise.

Without standardized protocols, it’s impossible to compare restoration projects, measure progress, or share best practices. This resource is a game-changer. We developed this guide to be the gold standard for kelp ecosystem monitoring worldwide, with guidelines that will evolve alongside the latest research and advancements.

“We spend our hard-earned conservation dollars trying to help kelp forest ecosystems, but we rarely place the same investment in tracking the outcome of those efforts. When we fail to accurately monitor and report on the outcomes of these projects, we do ourselves a disservice. We’re currently missing opportunities to understand what makes some projects more successful than others. This gap also impedes our understanding of the benefits these ecosystems provide and a result, we are unable to effectively communicate their importance to society. This document will help guide monitoring efforts and give the kelp forest community a common language when comparing data.” – Aaron Eager, Program Director, Kelp Forest Alliance.

Monitoring Kelp Forest Ecosystems: A Guidebook to Quantifying Biodiversity, Ecosystem Health, and Ecosystem Benefits covers standardized protocol for measuring and monitoring the health and ecosystem services of natural and restored kelp beds. As well as associated carbon uptake, cultural value, and biodiversity.

Global kelp restoration efforts include active projects in 13 countries including Canada, Australia, Chile, Denmark, and the United States. This guidebook will be made available to researchers via the Kelp Forest Alliance’s global network and the Ocean Wise website.

 About Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise is a globally focused conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our ocean. Through research, education, public engagement, and international collaborations, we empower communities to fight three major ocean challenges: ocean pollution, overfishing and climate change. By equipping and empowering individuals, communities, industries, and governments, we can create a future where people and our oceans can thrive. Ocean Wise is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with staff across Canada and Chile, and operates conservation projects that make national and international impact. 

About Kelp Forest Alliance

The Kelp Forest Alliance (KFA) is a global network of scientists, conservationists, and stakeholders dedicated to protecting and restoring 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040. We promote research, conservation, education, and restoration efforts worldwide. The alliance offers evidence-based strategies for effective and ethical kelp forest management, advocates for stronger policies, and aims to deepen public awareness and connection to these often-overlooked ecosystems.

For all interview requests, media inquiries, or more information please contact:

Nic Schulz
Communications Director, Ocean Wise
604 659 3752
[email protected]

Dr. Aaron Eger
Program Director, Kelp Forest Alliance
+61 487 523 824
[email protected]