Friday essay: can rewilding offer us a brighter, greener future?

Giant kelp forests in Tasmania have declined by 95% due to warmer, nutrient-poor waters and invasive long-spined sea urchins.

The giant kelp marine forests of southeast Australia were listed as endangered in 2012 under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Researchers at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science are developing warm-tolerant giant kelp varieties for reseeding trials.

Trials have shown that giant kelp forests can recover within a year, indicating potential for restoration.