Race on to save imperilled undersea kelp forests

Underneath the waves, giant kelp forests once thrived along the Victorian coastline, now largely remembered through oral histories. Marine biologist Chris Gillies is leading a restoration effort to locate and replant these submerged plants, which are now on the brink of extinction. With limited formal records, Gillies turns to the memories of local indigenous communities and residents who witnessed the forests' abundance.

He will extract seeds from surviving specimens to replant the forests after extracting them. Giant kelp, which can grow up to 30 meters, were once widespread along Australia's southern coast but are now nationally threatened due to climate change, changing ocean currents, and invasive species. The upcoming El Nino season, predicted to be among the worst on record, is likened to a "bushfire running through the ocean," threatening to wipe out up to 75 to 80 percent of the remaining kelp.

Gillies's Island Kelp Recovery project, in collaboration with Rotary Phillip Island and San Remo, aims to collect and store seeds from the surviving kelp plants before the marine heatwave intensifies, ensuring the genetic structure can be preserved for future replanting. These forests provide essential habitat for a wide array of marine life, including penguins, seals, and rock lobsters, making their preservation crucial for both the ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.