Urban Kelp Project
Innovative tools to understand
ecosystem health,
connectivity, and trends in
urban areas of Puget Sound
Item No. 10c – supp
Meeting Date: April 26, 2022
Action Requested
• Requesting approval for a competitive exemption to contract
with the Seattle Aquarium to undertake the urban kelp
research project
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• Smith Cove Blue Carbon Project
• Sustainable shorelines initiative
• Partnership with Seattle
Aquarium exhibit
• Duwamish Basin Steward
Context for Urban Kelp Research
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Kelp research will inform Port efforts to improve the nearshore environment
• Investigate what causes kelp to thrive
in an urban environment;
• Establish urban kelp forest monitoring
sites;
• Use scuba, remotely-operated devices,
and machine learning to survey urban
kelp forests;
• Develop an ecological characterization
of urban kelp forests;
• Engage and increase awareness
with the public;
• Share results with partner agencies
Project Synopsis
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Source: Eiko Jones Photography, Puget Sound Kelp Recovery and Conservation Plan (2020)
Next Steps
• Finalize contract with the Seattle Aquarium
• Implement research (Phase 1) May – September 2022
• Share Phase 1 results late 2022/early 2023
• July 2022: budget request for 2023/2024 work (Phase 2)
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