Some of Canada's most diverse forests are actually underwater
B.C.’s kelp forests are renewed every spring, creating a home for hundreds of thousands of marine species
Every spring, our forests come alive again with new growth. But not all forests are home to buzzing bees or busy birds — some of Canada's most diverse forest ecosystems are actually underwater.
On B.C.'s coast, kelp forests are a rich ecosystem of marine life, offering an important habitat for hundreds of thousands of invertebrates, fish, and rich feeding grounds for seals, sharks, sea otters and diving birds.
Each winter, bull kelp like this, dies off and decays, but every spring, the lush forests grow anew. Some kelp species, like giant kelp, can grow as fast as 45cm in a single day, reaching heights of 45 metres! Pretty impressive for something that isn't even a plant. In fact, kelp is marine algae that doesn't put down roots. It attaches itself to the rocky ocean floor and collects all its nutrients from the water, using the sun's rays for energy through photosynthesis.
These rich beds of biodiversity are essential to so much life on the coast, but they are fragile. Poor fishing practices, pollution and climate change have decimated areas of kelp forest, particularly further south in California. Because they store an immense amount of carbon, preserving and nurturing more kelp forests can help us move closer to net zero emissions.
It truly is one of Canada's most beautiful and ecologically rich habitats.
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