We are thrilled to put a spotlight on kelp forests with author and award winning journalist, David Helvarg as he discusses his newest book, ‘Forest of the Sea – the Remarkable Life and Imperiled Future of Kelp’. Kelp forests need our attention – they inhabit up to one third of the world’s coastlines and cover more space and generate more oxygen than the Amazon Rainforest. David will recount his memorable 2-year journey beneath the waves and through kelp’s natural and human history across the globe. He’ll share what kelp contributes to the worldwide economy and why the threats to its survival from human activities is one of the emerging but underreported climate and food security issues of our time. We’ll learn about guardians and protectors of kelp, both human and non-human, as well as solutions underway to address this crisis. Importantly, David will provide a strategy for the way forward along with actions each of us can take in our day to day lives to support the flora and fauna, both wet and dry, that we are dependent upon.
This free event is open to the public. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. A suggested donation of $10 per participant is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Donations help cover webinar costs and support our education and cetacean research grant programs. To donate, please visit our website https://www.acs-sfbay.org/donate. We are grateful for your support!
Bio:
David Helvarg is an author and Executive Director of Blue Frontier, an ocean policy group, co-host of the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast and a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Times. He has written seven books, the latest ‘Forest of the Sea’ (2026). He co-founded the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards and is a Senior Fellow with the Center for the Blue Economy. An award winning journalist, Helvarg has been a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America and covered issues ranging from the military to the climate reporting from every continent including Antarctica. He’s produced documentaries for PBS, Discovery and others. His print work has appeared widely including in The New York Times and National Geographic. He's done radio reporting and commentaries for Marketplace, AP and Pacifica and workshops for fellow journalists around the world. He is also a licensed Private Investigator, body-surfer and scuba diver.
