Kelp

Something has washed up onto shore. It looks like an alien or a plant from another
galaxy. This is Kelp. Kelp is a plant that grows in the ocean. It attaches itself to rocks on the bottom of coastal waters. Then it grows, and grows, and GROWS! Kelp may grow up to 2 feet…IN ONE DAY! It may grow up to be as tall as 200 feet. Have you ever been in a forest on land? A forest is where many, many tall trees all grow closely. A Kelp forest is a large underwater grove of Kelp stalks. This Kelp has washed up on shore from a storm or rough seas. When it dies, it will get caught in tide pools and provide food for animals living there. See the things that look like tiny balloons? These are called Kelp bladders. They are filled with gases and they help the Kelp float up towards the sun. The sun makes the Kelp produce oxygen for us to breathe. Take four deep breaths. Now say, “Thank you, Kelp,” because the ocean plants of the world just provided you with the oxygen in three out of four of the breaths that you took. Kelp gives us so many other products. We can eat the leaves in soups or salads or when it’s dried, like a thin cracker. An ingredient in kelp is found in toothpaste and salad dressing. After Kelp is burned, the ashes can be used to make glass and soap. We use Kelp for so many things on land, but animals of the sea use Kelp for food and shelter. If you ever get a chance to snorkel or scuba dive in a Kelp forest, do it! You will see beautiful swaying plants and fascinating animals darting in and out of the Kelp. You might even see a sea lion playing hide and seek with another sea lion!


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