Less than 2% of kelp forests are effectively protected. We need to protect at least 30% of kelp forests ecosystems by 2030 to safeguard marine biodiversity and food security

To address this challenge, we are supporting a collaborative, long-term monitoring program in Baja California, Mexico. By uniting our scientific team with local fishing cooperatives and conservation partners, we are working to understand the drivers of kelp forest resilience and inform community-led adaptive management strategies.

Project Objectives

The project is guided by three interconnected objectives:

• Quantify the Impacts of Climate Variability: Through systematic underwater surveys, we are gathering long-term data on the diversity and abundance of kelp, fish, and invertebrate populations. The primary goal is to document the ecological shifts driven by marine heatwaves and other climate stressors.
• Identify Characteristics of Climate-Resilient Forests: We are analyzing our monitoring data to understand why some kelp forests withstand or recover from climate shocks better than others. This work aims to pinpoint the key biological and physical characteristics of climate-resilient kelp ecosystems, providing a roadmap for future conservation and restoration efforts.
• Co-Develop Community-Based Management Strategies: We actively collaborate with local fishing cooperatives to integrate our scientific findings with their deep generational knowledge of the marine environment. This partnership allows us to translate scientific insights into practical, community-led management actions that enhance both ecosystem health and economic stability.

Scientific Innovation and Broader Impacts

The core innovation of this project is its deeply integrated socio-ecological framework. By placing community partnership at the center of our scientific process, we ensure our research is not only rigorous but also relevant, equitable, and actionable.

The impacts of this collaborative approach are multi-faceted. Locally, the project will empower coastal communities with data-driven tools to sustainably manage their marine resources. Regionally, our findings will inform science-based policy for the protection of critical habitats throughout Pacific Mexico. Globally, this work contributes vital data to an international network of researchers and serves as a powerful model for community-based climate adaptation in marine ecosystems worldwide.