Why kelp needs our help
- The Great Southern Reef is a large series of reefs that extends around Australia’s southern coastline and is primarily made up of extensive kelp forests
- Up to 80% of species found in the Great Southern Reef are found nowhere else, but these kelp forests are being threatened by warming temperatures
- The QBE Foundation has provided Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) with a $25,000 local grant to help mitigate the effect of climate change on kelp forests.
In 2017, the UN declared that 2021-2030 must be known as the ‘Ocean Decade’. This decade is the ‘now or never’ time to save our beautiful oceans and the ecosystems, communities and economies that they support from climate change. In particular, the UN has encouraged all people to take action and invest in the "science we need for the ocean that we want."1
Supporting charities and initiatives taking action is what the QBE Foundation local grant program is all about. The program supports organisations making a positive impact in communities – with each successful grant recipient voted for by QBE employees.
"As an international insurer, we see the impact that climate change has on communities every day," says Jason Clarke, QBE Foundation Co-Chair. "Through our grants program QBE is dedicated to mitigating these risks increasing climate resilience and funding innovative solutions that will ensure our environment and communities can thrive."
The Sydney Institute of Marine Science is a place of innovative solutions. Founded in 2005 and located on Sydney Harbour, this world-leading marine science institute and principal research facility is a partnership between four of Australia’s leading universities – UNSW, Macquarie University, UTS and Sydney University.
In 2021, the QBE Foundation provided a $25,000 grant to support Research Associate at SIMS, Amanda Pettersen, and her research project to save one important species: our beautiful kelp.
"The Sydney Institute of Marine Science is a well-respected organisation working in a space that closely aligns with QBE’s values," says Clarke. "I think that’s why our employees eagerly voted to award this grant and help save our kelp."
Why we should appreciate the modest kelp
"When people think of kelp, they often think of slimy seaweed that washes up on the beach," admits Pettersen. "That is their only interaction with kelp. But actually, it’s quite beautiful – and it supports amazing ecosystems."
The Great Southern Reef is a large series of reefs that extends around Australia’s southern coastline – from Perth to Brisbane. It covers a massive 71,000 square kilometres and is made up primarily of extensive kelp forests that support a huge portion of Australia’s marine life.
"Kelp forests are so underappreciated," says Pettersen. "The Great Southern Reef receives less than a quarter of research funding than the more well-known Great Barrier Reef. But up to 80% of the species found in the Great Southern Reef are found nowhere else. If we don’t take care of these kelp forests, they might be lost forever."
Not only is the Great Southern Reef vital for marine life, but it supports Australian communities too. More than 16 million people live on the Great Southern Reef coastline, and that population is set to double by 2060. Importantly, the reef also contributes more than 10 billion dollars annually to the Australian economy – including fishing and tourism.
"Our way of life is connected to the Great Southern Reef," says Pettersen. "It is crucial to our economy. And not only that, it is beautiful. I live in Sydney – so much of the draw of living here is our amazing coastline and beaches. The reason we have these natural ecosystems is due to habitat-forming kelp."
Adapting kelp forests to thrive into the future
Sadly, the biggest threat to our beautiful kelp forest is now climate change – particularly in the southeast and southwest coasts of Australia.
"We are seeing high rates of ocean warming that causes a widespread loss of kelp – and the ecosystems they support," says Pettersen. "This could mean the loss of so much of our Great Southern Reef."
That’s where the QBE Foundation local grant comes in. The $25,000 grant will support Pettersen’s research on how to mitigate the impact of climate change – and means she can sample different kelp species across the NSW coast, bring them back to the lab and run experiments that look at their thermal sensitivity and physiology rates.
"We know kelp can be quite sensitive to thermal change," says Pettersen. "It can have a huge impact on their survival and growth. So, we want to run a series of experimental tests to see which species are most vulnerable, which will be most impacted by future warming, and which are more resilient to thermal changes."
From there, Pettersen can formulate a plan to help preserve all species of kelp as we go into a warmer future. "Some populations of kelp have greater thermal tolerance than others," says Pettersen. "We can start to think whether we need to intervene in order to keep populations going in the future."
The QBE Foundation local grant will not only support Pettersen to keep researching kelp – but also support her field work and the equipment needed to collect and monitor kelp samples.
"It’s very fancy equipment!" Pettersen smiles. "The QBE Foundation grant means that I can study the entire life cycle of kelp species and see how we can best help them thrive – and help the communities that rely on them thrive too."
QBE Foundation local grant provides hope for kelp and communities
For Pettersen, her research project is all about providing hope and creating more recognition of the beauty and diversity of kelp. In particular, she was moved to learn that QBE employees voted for her project and were enthusiastic about the kelp forests she admits she is "biased towards."
"There is always hope," she says. "Hope that we won’t lose any species. Hope that this study will have global implications and help inform the management of marine environments in temperate systems. And hope that this will kickstart an even larger project with more people involved – one where we can raise awareness for our undervalued kelp."
She continues, "It was such a privilege to be awarded a QBE Foundation grant. I was extremely chuffed that people cared about kelp forests. To hear how excited QBE employees were about kelp – that is a big enough prize in itself. To know that QBE is engaging in this topic – that is so heart-warming."
Clarke believes the project resonated with QBE employees because it’s making tangible and understandable steps to address such a huge problem. "To know that you are going to make a difference to something as big as climate change is incredibly empowering," says Clarke.
"I just feel so grateful to the QBE Foundation," says Pettersen. "It is a humbling experience to be able to connect with people and welcome them on this journey of saving kelp forests."
Find out more about the Sydney Institute of Marine Science
Learn more about the QBE Foundation
