Kelp forests sit at a mystifying intersection. These incredible underwater forests are essential for supporting ocean life across the Southern half of Australia, yet they are largely ignored, and as a result, their management and conservation is largely underfunded and under resourced. These threads of our temperate seas are being unraveled by warming oceans, overfishing, and urban development. We need to join science, policy, and community to help combat this lost and not only help the kelp but help the 18 million people who live next to a kelp forest in Australia.
Dr Aaron Eger’s research examines why kelp forests are declining and identifies practical ways to protect and restore them. His work combines ecological research, global data analysis and applied conservation science.
He has helped quantify the ecological and economic benefits that kelp forests provide, synthesised evidence on kelp conservation and restoration, and developed monitoring standards and decision-support tools to improve restoration projects. His current research focuses on identifying where kelp forests are most threatened, determining which restoration and management approaches are most effective, and finding ways to scale successful solutions across regions.
Dr Eger also works to translate research into action. He founded the Kelp Forest Alliance, which connects hundreds of organisations around the world, and co-led the development of the Kelp Forest Challenge, an international initiative seeking to protect and restore four million hectares of kelp forests by 2040.