Researchers and volunteers worldwide are expanding projects to restore kelp forests hit hard by rising ocean temperatures. Efforts focus on removing sea urchins and developing heat-tolerant kelp strains. These initiatives aim to reverse losses that have reached 40 to 60 percent in recent decades.
In British Columbia, Haida Nation volunteers collect purple sea urchins to protect remaining kelp beds. Similar work is underway along Australia’s Great Southern Reef, where teams clear urchins before replanting golden kelp.
In California, groups monitor kelp using satellites and drones while testing new urchin traps. The Nature Conservancy estimates kelp forests add 250 million dollars in annual economic value to the state through fisheries and tourism.
Breeding programs in the United States, China, and Australia seek kelp varieties that can survive warmer water. South Korea has already restored more than 71,000 acres through large-scale projects. Japan runs over 700 restoration sites focused on kombu seaweed.
Experts note that without cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, long-term recovery remains difficult as marine heat waves increase.