Restoring Kelp Forests breathes new life into ocean ecosystems, preserving biodiversity for generations to come.
Researchers from The University of Western Australia (UWA) are leading a project aimed at restoring kelp forests within 100,000 hectares of reef between Jurien Bay and Kalbarri, where macroalgae was wiped out during the 2011 marine heatwave. Utilising the innovative Green Gravel technique, they seed rocks with kelp in labs before ocean transfer, ensuring cost-effective, tailored restoration for WA's coastline.
Kelp forests play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change by sequestering atmospheric CO2, prompting UWA to scale research and reforestation efforts.
The Great Southern Reef along Australia's southern coast houses over 30% of the nation's blue carbon storage and 8% of global kelp blue carbon, showcasing its ecological importance.
Collaborating with Canopy Blue, a WA-based company, UWA aims to generate high-quality carbon credits through research sponsorship, integrating coastal ecosystems into global carbon offset schemes. With kelp forests hosting half of the world's species unique to these habitats, their restoration becomes paramount for ecological diversity preservation.
This partnership highlights the critical role of kelp forests in climate change mitigation and emphasizes the growing inclusion of coastal ecosystems in environmental conservation efforts.
For more information, visit: www.wernberglab.org
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