Sonoma State Kelp Enhancement

Climate change has led to big changes in ocean conditions, specifically ocean warming events. These ocean "heat waves" have led to the decimation of our once iconic northern California kelp forests. This project will build on the last three years of kelp restoration research in the Hughes Lab, with the goal of restoring several acres of kelp forest at Albion Cove in Mendocino County. With our partners at The Nature Conservancy, Cal State - Moss Landing Marine Labs, and Reef Check, we will initiate one of the first kelp forest restoration projects to simultaneously transplant lab-reared kelp and remove their sea urchin herbivores