Beneath the sea, groves of giant kelp and other tall-growing kelp species form underwater forests. Giant kelp inhabits temperate, coastal waters and can grow 46 cm (18 in.) per day to reach the surface - up to 30.5 m (100 ft.) above the seafloor. Kelp forests provide food and shelter for a multitude of plants and animals. In this edition of Land, Sea, & Air dive in and explore the wonderful world of the kelp forest.

Kelp forests thrive in cool and clear coastal waters. Due to their proximity to the shore, kelp forest ecosystems are impacted by coastal freshwater systems, which all eventually flow into the ocean. Kindergarten through third grade students can learn about their local watershed in the Where's My Watershed? classroom activity. Students in grades 4-8 can find out about the importance of water quality in the Water Quality Query activity. High school students can discover the variety of plants and animals that form different ecosystems in the Design an Ecosystem activity.

What types of plants and animals make up kelp forests? From the tangle of the canopy to the forest floor, who lives where within kelp forests? How can you help conserve these vital habitats? Immerse your students in the new Kelp Forest infobook to discover the answers to these and other questions.

Kelp forests harbor and provide food for a variety of marine animals. Learn more about some kelp forest inhabitants through the following Animal Bytes.

November 16 through 22 is Geography Awareness Week. Have your class search online for where kelp forests occur in the Americas and look up these locations on a map. (Hint: In 2007, kelp forests were discovered in deeper waters near the Galapagos Islands, sparking the possibility that kelp forests may even thrive in Central American waters and other tropical areas.) Where do kelp forests exist in North and South America? Continue your internet search to find out what animals and plants make up kelp forest communities in different regions. Are there important products humans acquire from these kelp forests? What are conservation measures taken in these regions to protect local kelp forests? Discover more about how your school can participate in Geography Awareness Week at:

In 2008, The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund provided a grant to the Orange County Kelp Restoration Project to educate students and residents of southern California about the importance of the local kelp forests, and also to help restore and monitor kelp forests in Orange County. Learn more about this project at the following link.

How can you and your class see a kelp forest without getting wet? Visit SeaWorld San Diego or explore other key underwater habitats at all three SeaWorld parks on a classroom field trip. A new school year of SeaWorld's Instructional Field Trip program begins in October. Learn more by clicking on the link below.