Kelp Restoration Guidebook

This guidebook was developed for restoration project leaders and practitioners.

Assisting users interested in restoring kelp forests by helping introduce and inform them of the various considerations, steps, and decisions required throughout the restoration process. Further, we provide detailed examples of restoration in practice to facilitate learning from previous restoration efforts.

Users may consider viewing each chapter individually online with the pages below, depending on their needs or follow guidance from start to finish. Click the link to download and save the PDF.

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Guidebook

1.0 Introduction

This chapter introduces kelp forests, their ecology, and the core themes of kelp forest restoration knowledge and practice. It also provides an overview of how this guidebook is laid out,...

Concentrating on understanding whether restoration is needed and appropriate. Presenting a set of core questions to help address this decision-making process.

Guidebook

2.0 Evaluating the Need for Kelp Forest Restoration

This chapter concentrates on understanding whether restoration is needed and appropriate. It presents a set of core questions to help address this decision-making process, including: Have kelp forests declined in...

Guidebook

3.0 The Human Elements: Communities and Partners in Kelp Restoration

This chapter serves as a guide to integrating social, cultural, and economic aspects into what are often ecologically focused restoration initiatives. The core themes discussed include: (1) the importance of...

This chapter details the first actionable steps to restore kelp forest habitat. It starts by focusing on planning and assessing feasibility for restoration, including identifying objectives and appropriate methods, permitting and biosecurity, and site selection; it then outlines project monitoring and evaluating measures of success, along with a strategy (or strategies) for scaling-up restoration pilot projects.

Guidebook

4.0 Getting Started with Restoration

This chapter details the first actionable steps to restore kelp forest habitat. It starts by focusing on planning and assessing feasibility for restoration, including identifying objectives and appropriate methods, permitting...

In this chapter we describe the approaches available for kelp restoration and emphasize that you will need to consider the best suited approach(es) for your particular project (Fig. 5.1). The selected methodology will depend on the expertise of your group, project budget, the stressors present, environmental conditions, and whether kelp can return naturally or needs re-introduction.

Guidebook

5.0 Kelp Forest Restoration in Action (Methods)

In this chapter we describe the approaches available for kelp restoration and emphasize that you will need to consider the best suited approach(es) for your particular project (Fig. 5.1). The...

This chapter outlines the motivations and methods for monitoring and evaluating kelp restoration efforts, including what to consider before monitoring; important considerations when designing and implementing a monitoring program; and common methods for collecting kelp forest monitoring data.

Guidebook

6.0 Monitoring and Evaluation

This chapter outlines the motivations and methods for monitoring and evaluating kelp restoration efforts, including what to consider before monitoring; important considerations when designing and implementing a monitoring program; and...

Guidebook

7.0 Future-Proofing Kelp Forest Restoration for Climate Change

This chapter outlines the concept of ‘future-proofing’ in restoration, which encompasses a range of novel approaches in response to kelp loss due to ongoing climate change. These situations are complex...

Guidebook

8.0 Conclusion

We anticipate a bright future for the field of kelp forest restoration, one that will grow rapidly in response to changes in kelp forest dynamics around the world. Many new...

Guidebook

9.0 Restoration in Practice: Projects from Around the World (Summary)

The following are examples of kelp restoration in practice from around the world. They span a range of environments, approaches, and target species.

Guidebook

Appendix

Here we provide further detail for those wishing to create a spore or gametophyte culture. The process is described for *Laminaria and Saccharina species* in the Atlantic Ocean and Ecklonia...