In Aotearoa New Zealand, kelp restoration is increasingly community-led, with iwi, local groups and universities grounding work in mātauranga Māori. Projects combine seeded plant-outs with actions to remove barriers to recovery, including invasive seaweeds and heavy sea urchin grazing. Many efforts invest in education and volunteer training, and share practical toolkits. Policy changes are starting to make permitting easier. Next is sustained funding for Indigenous-led programs and integrating kelp into marine planning and climate adaptation.

View Metrics

Hayley StentDavid AguirreKelsey Miller

People living within 50km of kelp forests:

5,071,815

GDP(B) within 50KM of Kelp:

$182.12 billion

Ocean Warming Rate by 2100 (°C):

2.13 °C

KM2 of Kelp:

103,971

Key Species:

Ecklonia radiata

Durvillaea antarctica

New Zealand has one of the world’s longest coastlines, much of it fringed by kelp forests. The cultural and social value of these marine forests is immense—and so should be the ambition of our response to protect them.

Key Developments

In Aotearoa New Zealand, community-, iwi-, and university-led efforts to protect and restore kelp forests have increased. There are now at least 10 initiatives, strengthened by place-based leadership and growing involvement of mana whenua, with mātauranga Māori increasingly integrated into ecological practice.

Several projects illustrate these trends. Love Rimurimu, led by the Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust, began Macrocystis pyrifera restoration and conservation in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Harbour) in 2023. Volunteers and tamariki from local kura have participated in green gravel plant-outs and monitoring, supported by Earth Sciences NZ and Victoria University of Wellington. The Tutukaka Kelp Regeneration Project, initiated in 2023 by Te Wairua o te Moananui – Ocean Spirit Charitable Trust, focuses on Ecklonia radiata restoration in Tutukaka Harbour, partnering with Massey University and the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau.

The Māra Moana Project (2023) in Whakaraupō (Lyttleton Harbour) combines University of Otago research with Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and Ngāi Tahu divers to restore Macrocystis forests. This work includes reseeding with more climate-resilient strains and removing the invasive Undaria pinnatifida, which can outcompete native kelps.

Much restoration activity targets overgrazing by kina (Evechinus chloroticus) and the range-extending long-spined sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii. Examples include Kelp Gardeners – Te Ngahere ō Te Moana (since 2019; Waiheke Marine Project/Ngāti Pāoa ki Waiheke), Huataukina o Hapu E! led by Ngāti Porou in Waipiro Bay (2021), and iwi- and community-led efforts in Te Whanganui-a-Tara led by Taranaki Whānui ki te Ūpoko o te Ika ā Maui. Additional initiatives include restoration in Maitai Bay (Te Whānau Moana/Te Rorohuri hapū of Ngāti Kahu), the community-driven Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative in Rodney (2024), and Mohimohi Moana and Ocean Gardens led by Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Awa. The University of Auckland has also led or co-led multiple projects with iwi partners including Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Te Ātiawa, and Te Whānau a Rangiwhakaahu.

Beyond ecological outcomes, projects such as Love Rimurimu and Tutukaka have invested in outreach, education, and storytelling, raising awareness of kelp’s ecological and cultural significance. Several initiatives are also developing toolkits and guidelines to support replication. Collectively, these efforts reflect growing recognition that kelp stewardship in Aotearoa must be rooted in place-based knowledge and sustained by public understanding.

Key Opportunities

Indigenous leadership is a foundational strength and will remain central to durable kelp stewardship. Iwi-led and co-led projects bring legitimacy, long time horizons, and holistic approaches to ocean health. Public “kelp literacy” is increasing, creating opportunities to expand engagement through education programmes, environmental films, and seaweed festivals. Many existing initiatives rely heavily on volunteers and have limited resourcing; increasing funding—especially for Indigenous-led, community-based, and/or large-scale efforts—could enable continuation and scaling. Policy and regulatory settings are also evolving, including new sea urchin fisheries, protections for urchin predators, and new special permit purposes for restoration. There is further opportunity to integrate kelp into marine spatial planning and coastal restoration programmes as New Zealand advances ocean protection and sustainable blue growth. Climate adaptation frameworks, strengthened by pressure from extreme weather, create openings to address upstream stressors such as sedimentation through policy and infrastructure.

What Has Worked To Accelerate Action

Momentum has been built through a combination of high-reach communication and direct participation. Social media and mainstream news have elevated kelp nationally, while community events, school programmes, and iwi-led engagement have created local ownership. Policy mechanisms—such as permitting reform, temporary closures, and targeted restoration funding—have been proposed as near-term enablers. Iwi-led marine protected area initiatives further protect key sites and species. New Zealand’s comparative advantage is its willingness to pair cultural leadership with practical innovation, translating awareness into sustained action.

Key Services