Kelp Forests (Shifting Tides Webinar Series)

The Shifting Tides webinar series takes a dive into the ecological communities of the undersea world. It is open to anyone who wants to learn more about marine life by engaging with experts and providing inspiration for creativity and community action. You can catch up with the webinars here and make sure to register for future sessions.

Kelp Forests

(recorded live 17 Apr)

Kelp are seaweeds that grow in dense forests supporting a diversity of life. They attach themselves to the seabed and can reach several metres in length, floating on the surface or swaying on the tide. 

In this webinar, marine biologist Kathryn Shoenrock introduced us to her work with NUI Galway to study the extent of kelp forests around our shores, working with divers under the Kelp Res program. We also heard from Dolf D'Hont about successful community action in Bantry Bay to prevent the industrial harvesting of their kelp forests. The work of both our speakers showed how having a better understanding of the sea can lead to stronger community action.

We invite you to watch the full recorded session below: