California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Christmas Tree Cove

Restoration Project

California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Christmas Tree Cove

Restoration Objective:

The objective of restoration was to Increasing Ecosystem Services.

Cause Of Decline:

Macrocystis pyrifera beds along the southern California coast were relatively stable prior to 1940. Declines were first reported in 1945 in areas nearest major sewage outfalls. This deterioration progressively affected beds at increasing distances from the outfalls, leaving small patches. Deterioration of kelp accelerated when an influx of warm oceanic water persisted off California from 1957-1959.

Key Reasons For Decline:

Multiple

Scientific Paper

The Marine plant biomass of the Pacific Northwest coast (Chapter: Kelp Restoration in Southern California)

K.C. Wilson, P.L. Haaker, D.A. Hanan
https://scholar.google.com/ci...ew=cKp7ZgoAAAAJ:d1gkVwhDpl0C

Site Observations:

Observation Date

1st Mar 1975 – 1st Jan 1977

Action Summary:

At Christmas Tree Cove, several thousand adult and juvenile Macrocystis plants were transplanted, mass cultures were dispersed, and gill netting was used to reduce large numbers of herbivorous fishes.

Lessons Learned:

This study transplanted juvenile and adult kelp plants from healthy kelp beds to new areas and focused on sea urchin control to ensure successful transplantation.

Project Outcomes:

Kelp restoration was unsuccessful, with kelp only being observed in 1976 (0.04ha).

Key Reasons For Decline:

Multiple

Indicator Data:

Indicator:

Ending Value:

Starting Value:

Area

0.0000
m2
0.0000
m2