Chiix̱uu Tll iinasdll: Indigenous and scientific leadership in kelp restoration build knowledge and connections together

Dr Lynn Lee¹, Mr Dan Gwiisihlgaa McNeill², Ms Pauline Ridings³, Mr Mike Featherstone⁴, Dr Daniel Okamoto⁵, Mr Nathan Spindel⁵, Dr Aaron Galloway⁶, Dr Gary Saunders⁷, Ms Emily Adamczyk⁸, Ms Luba Reshitnyk⁹, Ms Ondine Pontier⁹, Ms Miranda Post¹, Dr Robyn Irvine¹, Ms Nadine Gulx̱a taa’a gaagii ng.aang Wilson¹, Ms Vanessa SG̱iids Ḵung Bellis²

¹Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, Skidegate, Canada, ²Council of the Haida Nation, Skidegate, Canada, ³Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, Canada, ⁴Pacific Urchin Harvesters Association, Richmond, Canada, ⁵Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA, ⁶University of Oregon, Charleston, USA, ⁷University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada, ⁸University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, ⁹Hakai Institute, Tula Foundation, Campbell River, Canada

Indigenous societies founded on reciprocal relationships, knowledge and practices over a deep history of interdependence can sustain biological and cultural diversity. Indigenous and scientific leadership in the Chiix̱uu Tll iinasdll kelp restoration project in northern British Columbia, Canada, demonstrates how meaningful collaborations can restore balance in social-ecological relationships while advancing conservation and restoration goals. Here, contemporary kelp forests are diminished in diversity, depth and area from intense overgrazing by hyperabundant sea urchins due to overhunting and extirpation of ḵuu sea otter, a keystone predator, two centuries ago. Reduced kelp forests impacted coastal ecosystems, species-at-risk, and culturally important species due to decline in important habitat, primary productivity and coastal protection. We worked together with Haida and commercial seafood divers to mimic ḵuu predation by removing and cracking >90% of urchins along 3-km of coastline, and annually maintaining low urchin densities at the site. Our diverse collaboration allowed us to provide traditional foods, guuding.ngaay red urchin and styuu green urchin, to Haida communities, and guuding.ngaay to markets. Kelp depth and density increased remarkably 6-9 months post-restoration, yet with significant year-to-year variation, highlighting the need for continued maintenance and monitoring to understand ecosystem dynamics. Changes in kelp led to process changes that affect people and ecology, including behavioral changes in G̱aalG̱ahlyan abalone and urchins, and ‘invisible’ changes in guuding.ngaay growth rates, gonad mass, and metabolism. Gwaii Haanas’ cooperative management partners and project collaborators offer a transformative path forward in conservation and restoration that is for and by local communities, while interconnected with broader interests, initiatives and ecosystem processes.

Presentation Slides – Lynn Lee