California Sea Grant: Funded by the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), California Sea Grant will administer more than $6 million to nine research and restoration projects to inform the state’s goal of conserving thirty percent of its lands and coastal waters by 2030… OPC selected the projects through a highly competitive review process that was… Continue reading Nine projects awarded more than $6 million to advance California’s 30×30 goal
Topic Category: Restoring Oceans
Urchins, robots, and a race to save kelp forests
Oceanographic Magazine: Oceanographic columnist Mark Schrope dives into a restored Santa Monica kelp forest and explores the innovations – from urchin-smashing robots to sea star rearing – helping scale kelp restoration efforts globally.
How underwater heroes are saving out kelp forests
CBS LA Climatologist Marina Jurica takes us from the marine lab at San Diego State University to the waters off Palos Verdes with The Bay Foundation, where scientists say kelp forests are one of our most powerful, and most overlooked natural climate buffers.
The planet’s other forest crisis
LA Times: The decline of California’s kelp forests since the marine heat wave of 2013-17 has seen only minor recovery despite heroic efforts at restoration carried out by scientists, fishermen, coastal tribes, volunteer divers and conservationists. Nor is the threat to kelp localized. Rather the loss, like the expansion of mega-wildfires on land from Los Angeles… Continue reading The planet’s other forest crisis
Underwater Forests Return to Life off the Coast of California, and That Might be Good News for the Entire Planet
Smithsonian Magazine: Underwater Forests Return to Life off the Coast of California, and That Might be Good News for the Entire Planet. Wondrous kelp beds harbor a complex ecosystem that’s teeming with life, cleaning the water and the atmosphere, and bringing new hope for the future… Off the coast of Palos Verdes, a famed surfing… Continue reading Underwater Forests Return to Life off the Coast of California, and That Might be Good News for the Entire Planet
Open-Coast Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Transplant Catalyzes Rapid Mirroring of Structure and Function of Extant Eelgrasses
Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that function as ecosystem engineers, forming complex structure that enhance nearshore environments. Globally, seagrass habitats are threatened by intensifying impacts from climate change, which exacerbate nonclimatic stressors such as coastal development, invasive species, and overfishing. Advances in the methodological efficacy of active seagrass restoration efforts have sought to mitigate substantial anthropogenic-induced… Continue reading Open-Coast Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Transplant Catalyzes Rapid Mirroring of Structure and Function of Extant Eelgrasses
6 million sea urchins removed by volunteer divers saved California kelp forest
The Valley Vanguard: For more than a decade, volunteer divers have been quietly wielding hammers off the coast of Santa Monica, California — not to build reefs, but to knock apart an ecological problem that nearly erased the region’s kelp forests. What began as a small, persistent effort by the Bay Foundation has turned into… Continue reading 6 million sea urchins removed by volunteer divers saved California kelp forest
Santa Monica Pier Water Turning Pink for Testing
Los Angeles Magazine: In collaboration with The Bay Foundation, UCLA scientists are dyeing the water near the Santa Monica pier pink today. The pink non-toxic dye will be released by the researchers in the coming weeks to learn more about how the beach’s breakwater affects water quality and the surrounding environment.
Researchers pour pink dye into ocean in Santa Monica to conduct water quality experiment
CBS News: Researchers are pouring pink dye into the ocean in Santa Monica throughout September as part of an experiment. Kara Finnstrom reports.
Santa Monica’s waves have turned a bright pink. How can the dye job improve water quality?
LA Times: Over the next two weeks, surfers and beachgoers in Santa Monica may spot waves that have a pink, fluorescent hue — but officials say not to worry..