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".

Threats to Kelp

The following are just some of biggest threats the kelp forests.

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

Grants & Funding

North America

USA

• National Estuary Program Watersheds Grant Program "is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent, emerging, and challenging issues threatening the well-being of estuaries within the 28 NEP boundary areas. This grant program funds projects aimed at addressing the following Congressionally-set priorities..."