Efforts to Restore California's Kelp Forests Show Promise

Volunteers Crushing Urchins and Planting Lab-Grown Kelp in Bid to Reverse Damage

Efforts to save California's kelp forests, which have been largely destroyed by purple urchins, are showing promise. Volunteers are crushing the urchins and planting lab-grown kelp.
Healthy patches of kelp and schools of fish have returned to areas where urchins were crushed. In one experiment, biologists discovered that lab-grown kelp was not only reaching the surface but also reproducing.
California's bull kelp forests declined by 96% between 2014 and 2020 due to the urchins. The loss of kelp has harmed other sea life, including red abalone.
Kelp plays a crucial role in the health of the world's oceans. Its loss has been likened to a rainforest being clear-cut.
Scientists will be collecting data over the next three years to determine the most effective methods for restoring and managing kelp.