Protecting and restoring coastal and ocean habitats is a good way to help combat climate change. Why? Because of blue carbon! Blue carbon is the term for carbon captured and stored by the world's ocean and coastal ecosystems. Blue carbon ecosystems are nature’s secret tool against climate change. Certain species play critical roles in blue carbon ecosystems. Across the globe, marine protected areas preserve blue carbon habitats and processes, and this toolkit specifically focuses on U.S. West Coast blue carbon habitats and processes.
This toolkit is designed for educators and communicators to use to teach others about blue carbon ecosystems. The toolkit includes: a fact sheet, an infographic, and a lesson plan.
This fact sheet compiles facts and definitions that explain what blue carbon is and how the various habitats and ecosystems cycle and store carbon for the long and short term. Reference list included.
This infographic illustrates the coastal and oceanic processes, species, and habitats that play a role in processing and storing carbon as part of the carbon cycle.
When considering the carbon cycle, trees and terrestrial plants are often the first carbon absorption and storage tool that comes to mind. However, the ocean plays a primary role in the carbon cycle. This lesson plan is a performance task that introduces the role of coastal and ocean habitats and species as essential components of a healthy carbon cycle. Students do research with provided readings, videos, and information and create a product that synthesizes their research.
