UNESCO reports women are underrepresented in marine sciences. As of 2018, men make up an estimated 75% of ocean science researchers globally.

The Bay Foundation project in Palos Verdes is moving the needle as a female-led kelp restoration project managed by Heather Burdick. They are committed to supporting women’s contributions to the sector by adhering to a 50/50 gender hiring policy.

White Point is historically an extremely productive fishing location. The lack of healthy kelp forests in recent decades has decimated the fishing industry opportunities in the area.

Through this project, local fishermen are employed to smash urchin barrens, a critical step in clearing the way for healthy kelp forest regeneration. The Bay Foundation team has also observed an increase in fishing activity in nearby areas where kelp forests have been restored.

The Bay Foundation’s work in Palos Verdes is on the cutting edge of kelp restoration technology. One technique that The Bay Foundation uses to ensure long-term survival of restored kelp forests is raising juvenile abalone.

Abalone, which feed on kelp, are already scarce in the wild, and their numbers have continued to decline as kelp forests diminish in Palos Verdes. The Bay Foundation team is raising abalone in their lab that will be reintroduced to the restored kelp forests, serving as competitors to urchins and keeping the kelp forests healthy.

Kelp forests play an important role in sequestering CO2 around the world. Globally, kelp forests sequester as much CO2 as the worlds mangrove forests.

Over the course of the project, The Bay Foundation and SeaTrees will restore 21 hectares of kelp forest off of Palos Verdes. This will permanently sequester 83 tons of CO2 every year.

Coastal ecosystem restoration is critical to the long-term living conditions of Southern California. For decades, the waters of Los Angeles have been filled with pollutants, decimating marine flora and fauna.

The Bay Foundation has found a 250% increase in kelp canopy extent in the project restoration areas, protecting over 700 species in the restored kelp forest off of Palos Verdes.