Harbour seals dart in and out of the channels as large schools of perch, garibaldi, senoritas and sea bass hide among the fronds. Sea stars and sea hares mingle on the rocks, a few purple urchins scattered among them. It is a beautiful, well-balanced ecosystem. Less than a decade earlier, Southern Californian shorelines were almost kelp-free. The rocky reefs were covered with purple urchins; no living fauna drifted back and forth with the surge. The ocean was injured, while those who abused her looked on unaware. Environmental chaos reigned.

Southern California is renowned for its sunshine and beaches. A melting pot for cultural diversity, the Los Angeles area has grown steadily since the early 1900s, with people immigrating to make their homes in the mild climate. A population explosion after World War II created a need for roads and pavements, carparks and shopping centres. Unbeknown to this new generation of residents, their New World growth would devastate an ecosystem that had flourished for thousands of years.

The waters along the Southern California coastline host unique and beautiful kelp forests. These forests are vital to the survival of more than 800 marine species. In addition, kelp is a photosynthesising-algae, an organism that produces 50-85% of the life-sustaining oxygen we breathe. Kelp is an important product for human consumption as well, used in products from pharmaceuticals and toothpaste to puddings, cakes, and shampoo. Between 100,000 and 170,000 tons of kelp is harvested from Californian waters each year. How then, did kelp forest decline go unnoticed by beachgoers for almost 30 years?