About Above/Below

What’s being said about The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp:

“It is visually stunning and information-rich, just like a big, beautiful book!” –  Jessica Owens (NW Straits Commission)

“A truly one-of-a-kind; what a wonderful way to share the beauty and ecology of kelp forests.”  – Meg Chadsey (WA Sea Grant)

A Campaign for the Ocean Forests of the North Pacific Coast and the Olympia Oysters of California’s Estuaries.

Kelp forests cover a quarter of the world’s coastlines and are critical to sustaining the biodiversity of the oceans. But these ocean forests are disappearing fast due to a convergence of natural cycles and human impacts, including rising ocean temperatures. Throughout California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska, a robust community has coalesced to study, protect, reforest, and restore the resilience of the bull kelp forests, but the urgency of this issue calls for public support to grow these efforts. Above/Below has created the web-based book, The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp to address this need for public engagement. It provides holisitic storytelling as outreach material to the network of ecologists working to understand the kelp forest systems as well as extensive links to resources. We hope you will explore the site to find all it offers.

Above Below has just completed a second web-based book titled The Alluring World of Olympia Oysters: Building Blocks of California’s Estuaries. It celebrates the diminutive Oly, the Pacific Coast’s only native oyster, and focuses on the Olympia Oyster’s world at the edge of San Francisco Bay. Dive in and learn about this remarkable estuary and how the Olympia oyster’s community calls it home.

Above/Below is co-directed by Josie Iselin and Marianna Leuschel. Our mission is to celebrate the biodiversity of our oceans and estuaries and promote ocean literacy by exploring different storytelling genres. Please visit our About Us page HERE.