Development of kelp habitat banks for the British Columbia forestry sector

在温哥华岛，林业是一个重要的经济产业，支撑着成千上万的家庭。现代采伐方法力求尽量减少对环境的影响；然而，伐木造成的陆地和海洋栖息地退化仍然是不列颠哥伦比亚省面临的一个挑战。生境库是林业部门用来补偿这些环境影响的重要工具。在这个项目中，NSERC将支持北岛学院（NIC）和M.C. Wright and Associates (MCWA)，与BC省木材销售公司（BCTS）合作，为林业部门开发一种创新的栖息地库——种植海带床。海带在改善水质的同时为许多不同的物种提供了天然的食物和栖息地，因此在恢复退化的海洋栖息地方面具有巨大的潜力。在NSERC参与项目中完成的工作的基础上，该ARD项目将在温哥华岛和邻近的BC省大陆附近的地点测试三种不同的海带种植技术的效果：1)水平延绳钓，在海带水产养殖业中常见；2)垂直下降线，也可作为碎片幕；3)在海底种植种子岩，这是挪威最近发展起来的技术。将对三种海带进行试验，它们都具有商业价值，是不列颠哥伦比亚省的本土物种，它们的生产力将与未种植（自然播种）的对照进行比较。现场情况将通过潜水调查和数据记录仪进行评估。该项目将在种植技术、海带种类和选址条件等方面为海带栖息地库的发展提供实用的见解。结果将立即由行业合作伙伴实施，可能还有其他林业公司，在沿海地区建立新的海带栖息地银行。

Forestry is an economically important industry on Vancouver Island that supports thousands of families.Modern logging practices seek to minimize environmental impacts; however, terrestrial and marine habitatdegradation from logging remains a challenge in British Columbia (BC). Habitat banks are an important toolused by the forestry sector to compensate for these environmental impacts. In this project, NSERC will supportNorth Island College (NIC) and M.C. Wright and Associates (MCWA), in collaboration with BC Timber Sales(BCTS), to develop an innovative type of habitat bank for the forestry sector - planted kelp beds. Kelp naturallyprovides food and habitat for many different species while improving water quality, and thus holds significantpotential to rehabilitate degraded marine habitat. Building on the work completed in an NSERC Engageproject, this ARD project will test the efficacy of three different kelp planting techniques at sites aroundVancouver Island and the adjacent BC mainland: 1) horizontal longlines, common in the kelp aquacultureindustry; 2) vertical drop lines, which may also act as a debris curtain; and 3) seeded rock that is out-planted onthe ocean floor, a technique that was recently developed in Norway. Three kelp species will be trialed, all ofwhich are commercially valuable and indigenous to British Columbia, and their productivity will be comparedto unplanted (naturally seeded) controls. Site conditions will be assessed through dive surveys and data loggers.This project will provide practical insights for kelp habitat bank development in terms of planting techniques,kelp species, and site conditions that were successful or unsuccessful. Results will be immediatelyimplemented by the industry partners and possibly other forestry companies to build new kelp habitat banksalong the coast.