The Kelp Rescue Initiative

Kelps provide essential marine habitats throughout the Northeast Pacific and fuel the productivity of coastal ecosystems. Yet, kelp forest ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change, with increasingly frequent marine heatwaves a key threat. Active interventions, including restoration efforts, are therefore needed to improve the outlook for the persistence of kelp forest ecosystems. Working in collaboration with Kelp Rescue Initiative we have conducted some kelp restoration trials, including the use of “green gravel” and other outplanting methods, in British Columbia. These include large-scale manipulative field experiments in Barkley Sound and in the North Salish Sea. Additionally, we are working to understand how kelp forest restoration can best support fish populations. These results fill a fundamental knowledge gap that currently limits our ability to meaningfully scale-up kelp restoration efforts.

Baum Lab Team members: Dr. Lauren Dykman (KRI Restoration Science Lead), Maisie Roy-Musor (Culturing and Innovation Tech), Lauren Shea (Research Tech and Operations Specialist), Tessa Rehill (MSc student), Matt Bakken (Research Assistant), Alec Jones (Research Assistant)