First Nation-led effort replants kelp forests in Clayoquot Sound

In Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation has partnered with the Redd Fish Restoration Society and West Coast Kelp to grow bull kelp and giant kelp in a nursery, then transplant sections to degraded sites beyond the reach of grazing sea urchins. The project, launched in early 2026, has so far replanted about 4,200 square meters, roughly the size of ten basketball courts. Organizers say Tla-o-qui-aht oral history has helped identify planting sites, and a tribal guardian described the effort as an attempt to restore balance his ancestors practiced long before contact.

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