Issues: Oceans

Often called the redwoods of the sea, giant kelp can soar 100 feet or more from the ocean floor, providing habitats that range from tiny, seafloor caves to dense golden-green canopies just below the water's surface. At each level, creatures big and small find their own niche. Brittle stars and secretive sculpins hide within the kelp's holdfast, a root-like structure that anchors the towering plant to rocks and boulders. In the filtered sunlight of the mid-water region, turban snails and crabs graze on the kelp's thick stipe while they, in turn, are grazed upon by lingcod and schools of rockfish. Sea otters swim amid the kelp's upper fronds, while giant kelpfish seek camouflage from larger predators and protection from waves.

Such wondrous forests need a unique set of conditions to thrive, including hard, rocky seafloors, high concentrations of nutrients, moderate waves and clear, clean ocean water. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which spans 350 miles along the central California coast, is one of just a few regions in the world that provides the conditions necessary to support kelp forests.

Despite being a protected area, the sanctuary faces a number of persistent challenges. Sanctuary officials are supposed to protect the ecosystem while facilitating multiple uses of the area. It's a delicate balance. Undersea noise from military and commercial operations and even small motorized craft like Jet Skis can disrupt marine mammal communication. Pollution from sewage leaks, spills, rain runoff and the dredging of nearby harbors threaten the purity of the sanctuary's waters. While some human threats have been tempered, keeping the sanctuary truly safe is a constant battle.

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Photos: Kip Evans