First Nation and provincial partners of the Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) are excited to announce the launch of an innovative communication tool, Regional Kelp Monitoring on the North Pacific Coast: A Community-Based Monitoring Initiative to Inform Ecosystem-Based Management, a StoryMap, to share information about their ongoing work to learn about kelp in Haida Gwaii, the North Coast, Central Coast, and North Vancouver Island.
Because kelp is such an important component of the marine ecosystem – culturally, economically, and ecologically – MaPP developed a Regional Kelp Monitoring Project. Each summer since 2017, Guardians have mapped the extent of kelp beds, collected data on kelp density, and assessed the condition of the kelp. The data can be used to inform kelp management as well as other research both locally and globally such as studies on the impacts of climate change.
Visit Regional Kelp Monitoring on the North Pacific Coast: A Community-Based Monitoring Initiative to Inform Ecosystem-Based Management, a StoryMap to learn about the importance of kelp, the MaPP kelp monitoring framework including how kelp is monitored, sub-regional highlights, collaborators supporting data collection, lessons learned, and the vision for the future. Some unique elements of the StoryMap include the First Nations names for different species of kelp, stories from each of the sub-regions about the focus and achievements of the Guardian crews, along with maps and research results.
The StoryMap is expected to be updated annually to share the most recent findings and accomplishments.
