MasKelp: Protecting Kelp Ecosystems through Science, Capacity Building, and Communication
About this event
Kelp forests are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, supporting high biodiversity and coastal communities worldwide, yet less than 2% of them are currently effectively protected. MasKelp, a non-profit and fiscally sponsored project of The Ocean Foundation, works to close that gap through science, capacity building and communication, with a particular focus on Latin America. It combines long-term ecological monitoring, satellite data and collaborative research to identify priority areas for kelp conservation and turn that knowledge into practical management action.
Presenters Nur Arafeh Dalmau, Carolina Olguin Jacobson and Fiorenza Micheli will show how the project connects science with conservation, from identifying climate refugia and conservation gaps to building long-term monitoring programmes and strengthening local capacity.
Organiser: MasKelp, with the Stanford University Doerr School of Sustainability Hopkins Marine Station; hosted by OCTO
What to expect
- Mapping climate refugia for kelp forests in Mexico and Argentina
- Kelp forest monitoring across Latin America
- Participatory science with fishing communities and conservation partners
- MasKelp’s training programmes for scientific divers, kelp mappers and conservation scientists
- Outreach through underwater photography, videography, storytelling and scientific publications
Date and time
28 October 2026
1:00 pm EDT / 10:00 am PDT / 5:00 pm UTC / 6:00 pm CET.
Location and format
Online
Registration