BC Kelp

Why Kelp Matters

Kelp forests are underwater habitats made up of many different species of kelp that form canopies over the seafloor. Thriving in cool, nutrient-rich waters along rocky coastlines in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans, these towering underwater forests harbour thousands of marine species, providing food and shelter, much like forests on land.

Globally, over 40 percent of kelp forests have declined over the past five decades as a result of climate change, overexploitation, and pollution. Kelp forests support biodiversity, coastal fisheries and livelihoods, and have significant potential as a carbon sink. In British Columbia, they also provide critical habitat for commercially and culturally valuable species such as herring, salmon, rockfish, and endangered northern abalone.

Indigenous Cultural Significance

Kelp holds deep cultural and ecological significance for Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest. It has been used for centuries as a food source, medicine, and material for crafts and ceremonies. These forests also sustain the marine life that has supported Indigenous fishing practices for generations. Today, many Indigenous communities are actively working to restore and protect kelp beds as part of their cultural heritage and efforts to promote ocean health.

Our Restoration Partnership

Through our partnership with Veritree, GoodAPI is helping fund the restoration of kelp forests in British Columbia. Veritree is working closely with Coastal Kelp and the Sechelt First Nations to restore kelp forest along their territory in Hotham Sound and Powell River, Canada.

The project uses new and innovative techniques to seed bull kelp and sugar kelp, producing millions of kelp sporophytes planted on a mix of line and green gravel in Indigenous waters. When you fund kelp restoration through GoodAPI, every unit is verified and traceable through Veritree’s platform, so your customers can see the real impact of their purchases.