California · Kelp forest
Bring Back the Canopy
The challenge
A forest beneath the surface.
Marine heatwaves and ecological imbalance have transformed stretches of once-dense kelp into low-diversity barrens. This fictional case study demonstrates a restoration program page.
Restoration area640 ha
Kelp plots monitored128
Community dive days46
Years of data05
The method
Remove pressure. Rebuild resilience.
Teams combine urchin management, nursery-grown kelp, reef monitoring and community stewardship, testing each method across matched sites.
See the science