Kelp Forests
Benefits of Kelp Forests
The following are just a few of the benefits of kelp forests.
Carbon Sequestration
Kelp forests are estimated to "sequester 4.91 million metric tons of CO2".
Economic
Kelp forests support fisheries and the tourism industry. Scientists estimate that kelp generates $500,000,000 per year. - https://phys.org/news/2023-04-scientists-sea-kelp-generates-bn.html
Threats to Kelp
The following are just some of biggest threats the kelp forests.
Warming Oceans
While studying kelp in the Aotearoa are (New Zealand), "The researchers found higher temperatures stimulated greater spore release during the process of sporulation. However, spore settlement, germination, and germ-tube length were negatively impacted by increased temperature and significantly declined above 23.8˚C, 21.7˚C, and 19.8˚C, respectively." - https://phys.org/news/2022-12-seas-negative-impact-giant-kelp.html
Water Pollution
Pollution from livestock, overuse of fertilizers, human sewage, pet waste, mining and industrial waste are all hurting kelp forests.
Programs & Campaigns
International
The Kelp Forest Challenge "is a global movement to raise awareness, protect, and restore our kelp forests. It was collaboratively created and is a shared vision of what we need to do to save our underwater forests.
Anyone can get involved, it doesn't matter if you are a snorkeller, CEO, scientist, artist, Prime Minister, or ocean lover you can join the movement. We accept pledges to protect or restore kelp forests, increase awareness, assist conservation projects, or inspire the world. If you think you can help the kelp, let us know."
Resources
International
Kelp Forest Alliance: Knowledge Hub includes articles, scientific papers, and videos.
Kelp Restoration Guidebook (PDF) "which chronicles the lessons [the Kelp Forest Alliance] learned from kelp restoration projects undertaken around the world."
Organizations
Europe
Kelp Forest Alliance "is a collaborative home that brings together people and organisations to enhance, protect, and restore these incredible ecosystems."
OSPAR "is the mechanism by which 15 Governments & the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.
OSPAR started in 1972 with the Oslo Convention against dumping and was broadened to cover land-based sources of marine pollution and the offshore industry by the Paris Convention of 1974. These two conventions were unified, up-dated and extended by the 1992 OSPAR Convention. The new annex on biodiversity and ecosystems was adopted in 1998 to cover non-polluting human activities that can adversely affect the sea.
The fifteen Governments are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
OSPAR is so named because of the original Oslo and Paris Conventions ("OS" for Oslo and "PAR" for Paris)."
North America
USA
Reef Check "Along the West Coast of North America, Reef Check helps ensure the long-term sustainability and health of the nearshore rocky reefs and kelp forests. Reef Check volunteer citizen scientists are divers, fishermen, kayakers, surfers, boaters, and a wide range of people who take a proactive role in making sure that our nearshore ecosystems are healthy and well managed. We train scuba divers to be citizen scientists familiar with local marine life and how to survey kelp forests. We provide them with the skills to conduct scientific surveys and then lead them in monitoring kelp forests along the West Coast of North America. "
Maps
International
The Kelp Forest Challenge Click the blue bar on the right hand side of the screen to see the interactive map.
Scientists Estimate that Kelp Generates $500,000,000 per Year