In Tromsø, the world’s northernmost city, non-profit Rissa Citizen Science formed a volunteer community of scientists, artists and inhabitants to restore the local kelp forests

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My contribution to the project consisted of documenting the restoration site at Sørsjetéen, a jetty in the center of the city where many locals and tourists go for a walk. One side of the jetty has been restored by removing excessive sea urchins and is now bursting with life and colour. Year after year the kelp grows larger and the biodiversity seems to increase. I also photographed the new restoration site in Telegrafbukta, which resembled an underwater desert. One patch of seaweeds, growing onto a tiny, shallow plateau was surrounded with thousands and thousands of urchins. 

 

Kelp forests are the lungs of the ocean providing oxygen, capturing carbon, reducing ocean acidification, protecting coastlines in storms and providing nurseries for marine life. Overfishing in Norway has removed key predators in the ecosystem, leaving sea urchins to multiply and overgraze kelp forests, turning them into biological deserts.​​

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Discover fine art prints in the series Scenes from future dreams.

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