Tasmanian volunteers are restoring kelp forests lost to climate change and urchins, with early success and plans to expand.

Volunteer divers in Tasmania are restoring critically endangered giant kelp forests, which have declined by up to 95% due to climate change and invasive sea urchins. Trained through a federal program, over 60 divers are using a proven technique to attach juvenile kelp to existing seaweed holdfasts, with early results showing rapid growth and potential for self-sustaining reproduction within a year. The effort is part of a $3.5 million project that also involves commercial urchin harvesters to reduce competition. The restored kelp forests support marine life, absorb carbon, and protect coastlines, with volunteers playing a key role in scaling up recovery along the east coast.