By joining people and knowledge, we are creating a global mission to advance the protection and restoration of the world’s kelp forests and the benefits they provide to people.

Our First Year in Review

Kelp forests often occupy this paradoxical space where they are the fabric of our cold water seas, holding together the coastal oceans we live, work, and play in. Yet they are far too often the "forgotten forests" and don't receive the needed protection or restoration to keep them healthy and to keep our seas healthy.

A year ago, I got to strike an item off my bucket list and start working on the Kelp Forest Alliance as a full time ambition. It is our mission to help the kelp in every way possible and it is challenging as it is exhilarating. I have repeatedly described working on the KFA as my dream job and I think it might always be just that.

Through the support of our funders, collaborators, and kelpers all around the world, we have begun to try and do conservation differently. We are proud to be building an inclusive movement of people and organizations, guided by knowledge, informed by our experiences, and driven by our passion to save our kelp and our seas.

You only get one first impression and I don't think we've just survived the first year but we've flourished and cannot wait to keep working with this wonderful community. Surely, our biggest moment was the launch of the Kelp Forest Challenge, a global call to protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forest by 2040 but there were countless fleeting personal moments that meant just as much. We hope that you can continue to work with us and share in these experiences for many more years.

Dr. Aaron Eger | Program Director

Aaron Eger

Board Of Directors Program Director FounderKelp Forest Alliance

Adriana Vergés

Board Of DirectorsKelp Forest Alliance

Peter Steinberg

Board Of DirectorsKelp Forest Alliance

1. Kelp Forest Challenge

We brought together 250 people from around the world to answer a question.

What needs to happen to save our kelp?

Together, we launched the Kelp Forest Challenge, a global call to not only protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040 but to also reconnect people to these forgotten forests.

Since our launch in February 2023, we have received 28 pledges from 8 countries including 55,000 hectares of area for restoration.

More than this we received pledges from dive shops, musicians, photographers, marketing agencies, robotics companies, and leaders in technology. Each finding their unique way to help the kelp.

2. Roadmap for Success

We set the target, it was ambitious, but how do we achieve it?

Our roadmap for scaling up kelp forest conservation and includes the voices from 61 experts across all elements of kelp conservation.

The roadmap features targeted steps for improving:

Stressor Management
Active Restoration Methodologies
Conservation Finance
Policy Changes
Indigenous Land and Sea Management
Business Opportunities
Art, Media, and Communication
Research, Monitoring, and Technological Development

3. Kelp Monitoring Guidelines

Kelp forests do so many things for society and the environment but if we don't measure them, we can't communicate them.

In partnership with Ocean Wise, Canada, we have created the first working draft of the kelp forest ecosystem monitoring and reporting guidelines.

This comprehensive body of work details the available options for measuring the health, extent, stressors, and benefits of kelp forests along with best practices for recording that information.

By standardizing monitoring, we can ensure information is collected consistently and to the highest standard. This information can then be used to track project outcomes, learn from mistakes, celebrate successes, and inform real time management.

4. Site Selection Framework

Four million hectares is a lot of area, so how do we ensure that the best locations are chosen for kelp conservation?

With a grant from the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in California, we have created a team of 18 kelp restorationists from 7 countries to create a framework for effective and ethical conservation site selection.

Our project will combine:

Indigenous and local knowledge
Ecological thresholds
Future environmental conditions
Policy regulations
User needs
Finance options

And generate a freely available decision making tool that will give projects the greatest likelihood of success and ensure the limited budgets we receive are spent in the best way possible.

5. Mario Ruivo Memorial Award

Our program director, Dr. Aaron Eger was awarded the first ever Mario Ruivo Memorial Award by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for his work with the Kelp Forest Alliance and the Kelp Forest Challenge.

As part of the award, Aaron presented our work to the General Assembly of the International Oceanographic Commission in Paris. Among attendees were leading government scientists and policy makers.

We look forward to continuing to engage with the international community, including the UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the UN Environment Program, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

6. Kelp Forest Photo Competition

Did you know that kelp forests...

Are the foundation of myths and legends
Live at the poles and the equator
House the smallest snails and the largest whales
Are the threads of our cold water sea

Most people don't.

That's why we've created the first ever Kelp Forest Photo Awards

Launching in November, this competition is aimed at photographers and story tellers all around the world. Entrants will present their works to 5 celebrity judges and compete for the title of Kelp Photographer of the Year.

An audience of hundreds of thousands of people will then be exposed to the wonders, importance, and diversity of kelp forests. All while continuing to build our shared sense of kelp community.

7. Kelp and Carbon Webinar Series

How much carbon does kelp sequester, can we trace it, can we sell carbon credits?

These are among the many questions surrounding kelp forests and their potential for carbon sequestration. To help bring forward answers on this debated and ultra relevant topics, we hosted a free webinar on the known, unknowns, and next steps for kelp forests and carbon finance.

The webinar featured 5 experts across all sides of the question. A great example of how the KFA can connect knowledge and people to generate impact.

Webinar Link

Key Media

Whether you’re a snorkeller or CEO, you can help save our vital kelp forests - The Conversation, Mongabay

The value of ecosystem services in global marine kelp forests - Nature Communications, New Scientist, The Guardian

The Kelp Forest Challenge: A collaborative global movement to protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forests - Journal of Applied Phycology

A forgotten and neglected ecosystem covers a third of Earth’s coastlines, with a collective value of $500 billion - The Conversation

Can playing god save our seas? - Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Gardening Marine Forests | A Hands On Approach to Restoration - Award winning short film

"The power of supporting alliances is that they turn ripples of individual efforts into waves of collective impact." Aaron Eger – Kelp Forest Alliance

Global Reach

570 People
28 Countries
205 Organizations
15,000 Web Users

The world has woken up to the need to protect and restore our environment. The 30x30 Targets, The Nature Positive Movement, Nature Based Solutions, The Blue Economy and many other initiatives are core to this socio-cultural epiphany. Yet despite the fact that kelp forests are one of the most important marine habitats in our oceans, they are consistently forgotten.

We will continue to champion kelp forests, support the people doing work on the ground, conduct the needed research, produce the best available standards and advice, and celebrate these incredible ecosystems. Our next year will focus on growing our capacity so we can do more of this desperately needed work ourselves and support our partners to expand their efforts.

2024 will be hopefully be a year of continued pledges for the Kelp Forest Challenge, discovery of new conservation finance mechanisms, fresh understanding of our progress, a stronger online community and knowledge hub, and continued innovation to help the kelp.

Kelp Forest Report Card

A new understanding of global kelp health

Our keystone project for 2024 is the first ever kelp forest report card, an up to date understand of how much kelp is threatened, restored, and protected across every country.

Funding for Conservation

Finance for Impact

Conservation projects often cannot find funding while funders often cannot find conservation projects. We are working on a traceable donation system to direct funds to projects while assuring impact for funders.

Working Groups

Collaborative Solutions to Big Problems

The Kelp Forest Alliance will continue to lead and support working groups to tackle topics such as restorative aquaculture, community scientists, Indigenous leadership and collaboration.

Kelp Forest Summit 2025

A meeting of kelpers

2024 will also see us plan the first follow up meeting to the Kelp Forest Challenge, in Victoria, Canada. This meeting will review our progress, assess the impact of the roadmap, and celebrate new pledgees to the Kelp Forest Challenge.