California’s kelp forests, once thriving ecosystems known as the “sequoias of the sea,” are making a comeback thanks to significant restoration efforts. The Bay Foundation has taken the lead in this effort with fierce dedication. So far, they’ve pulled out millions of the invasive purple sea urchins that have ravaged kelp forests. To date, divers have crushed 5.8 million urchins. This remarkable feat has restored 80.7 acres of once barren sea floor to active kelp growth. Now, this restoration is in direct support of the kelp. It provides habitat for more than 800 marine species, such as commercially important fish including the California spiny lobster, kelp bass and more.
Kelp is an incredible macro-algae that can grow up to two feet a day. At ideal conditions, it can grow as tall as 100 feet from the reef floor to the water surface. These underwater forests play a critical role in carbon storage, which is increasingly important in the face of climate change.
The Decline of Kelp Forests
Now, the loss of giant kelp forests has become one of the most urgent environmental problems facing southern California. Over the past 20 years, these important ecosystems have faced an unprecedented 80% loss in area. A multitude of factors has led to this decline, of which warming ocean temperatures, pollution, and overfishing are likely the three biggest causes. The biggest, most urgent threat has come from the spread of ravenous sea urchins.
These purple urchins have turned into little devil kelp predators, eating every last morsel of it and not allowing any of it to grow back. In their wake, massive areas have become “urchin barrens,” scraped clean of life and diversity. It’s this dramatic shift in the ecosystem that directly affects the kelp. It endangers tens of thousands of marine species, because they depend on this habitat for their lives.
“There’s still a pocket where the urchins are expanding out.” – Johnson
Organizations like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation have long sounded the alarm on the need for immediate action. To combat this growing trend, they’re putting saltwater restoration projects in place. The foundation has trained its efforts on Santa Monica Bay, a key area for kelp ecosystems.
Restoration Efforts Underway
The Bay Foundation has been collaborating with local certified divers and scientists. Collectively, they are making national history taking ambitious steps to restore the underwater forests. To date, the project has primarily focused on purging infected areas of purple sea urchins. That will allow kelp to regrow and reclaim its vital role as nursery habitat in the marine ecosystem.
Divers are critical both to the success of this restoration effort and its mission. Once underwater, they patrol the depths like ocean bounty hunters, employing fancy equipment to dislodge and scoop up urchins from nooks and crannies of the ocean ground. Tom Ford, one of the leaders behind the Bay Foundation’s efforts, emphasized the commitment of his divers.
“No one has more hours down there clearing urchins than Terry.” – Tom Ford
After demolishing urchins by the millions, divers were starting to see reassuring indicators of recovery. In fact, some sites have experienced kelp regrowth after only three months of action. This comeback of kelp does more than bring back an ecosystem, it makes the environment more biodiverse by forming homes for local marine life like fish and urchins.
This $1.4 billion restoration effort goes beyond just California, as efforts to restore native salmon populations are underway in Tasmania and South Korea. These international initiatives highlight the crucial role that kelp ecosystems have in protecting our oceans and climate.
Ecological Benefits of Kelp Restoration
The benefits of restoring kelp forests are huge. Kelp supports more than 800 marine species, acting as nursery habitat for fish and invertebrates. As these ecosystems bounce back, they play an important role in creating more biodiversity and healthier marine environments.
Further, studies have found that restored areas far outperform on other species. By comparison, the gonads or reproductive organs of red sea urchins on these sites where kelp has come back weigh 168% more. This up-tick is a testament to the thriving ecosystem these interdependent species have built and work together to sustain.
Waves
Moderating wave energy along coastlines is another important natural service kelp provides. By cushioning the impact of intense storm waves, it protects people and property in coastal communities against erosion and destruction. Restoring these underwater forests helps shield vulnerable marine life from threats. Additionally, it protects human lives and property on-shore.