Monitor the Environment
Why We Monitor
Kelp forests are influenced by both natural events and human activities so it’s important to regularly monitor our restoration sites. These data are vital for documenting short and long-term changes, evaluating kelp forest health, and developing effective management strategies!
What We Monitor
Environmental Parameters
Kelp thrives in cold, nutrient-rich waters. To better understand what conditions kelp needs to survive, our team will use special sensors to measure a variety of parameters like water temperature, light levels, nutrients, and wave activity.
Marine Species
Our team will monitor the abundance, density and distribution of algae and other marine life via underwater video transects, photo quadrats, research diver observations and more. This monitoring will help us understand the overall health of the environment.
Kelp Canopy
Documenting the expanse of kelp canopies from above using drones and satellite imagery helps track the overall growth of our forests and allows us to compare our sites with neighboring kelp forests.