HARVEST TO HEAL
Santa Barbara Urchin Divers and Scientists Unite to Restore Kelp
A story of ocean restoration, scientific discovery, and collaboration to bring California’s kelp forests back to life.
San Pedro International Film Festival
Saturday, November 14, 2026 · 1:00 PM
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium · San Pedro, California
About the Film
Kelp forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, with many areas along California’s coast experiencing dramatic losses of these vital underwater ecosystems.
Harvest to Heal follows Santa Barbara scientists, commercial urchin divers, conservationists, seafood companies, and a fertilizer company as they work together to restore kelp forests off San Miguel Island.
By harvesting purple sea urchins from urchin barrens, the team seeks to revive kelp forests and explore innovative, market-based solutions that benefit both marine life and coastal communities.
Through stunning underwater cinematography and personal stories from those on the front lines, the film reveals how collaboration, science, and stewardship can help heal the sea.
Led by Kim Selkoe, Ph.D., of Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, the restoration effort includes marine scientists Jenn Caselle, Ph.D., and Conner Jainese, M.S., of UC Santa Barbara, along with commercial urchin divers Jeff Maassen, Jonathan Woodcock, Trent Pettersen, and Harry Liquornik.
Participating organizations include The Nature Conservancy, The Bay Foundation, The Cultured Abalone, and Marino Soil Foods, a company developing fertilizer products from harvested sea urchins.
Through hands-on restoration work and ongoing observation, the team is exploring ways to help kelp recover in areas affected by purple sea urchin overpopulation. The project brings together scientific research, commercial diving experience, conservation, and innovative uses for harvested urchins.
The film documents this collaborative effort and the early signs of recovery, offering a closer look at the people working to restore a vital part of California’s marine environment.
Film Festival Screening
San Pedro International Film Festival (SPIFFest)
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
- Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
- John M. Olguin Auditorium
- 3720 Stephen M. White Drive
- San Pedro, CA 90731
Harvest to Heal screens as part of the Ocean Docs 1 program, alongside Ocean Music, followed by a filmmaker Q&A.
Filmmaker’s Statement
In 2020, I visited the backside of San Miguel Island, a place I had dived many times over several decades. I was shocked by what I saw. Urchin barrens had replaced much of the extraordinary kelp forest that once made this incredibly rich ecosystem thrive. Vast areas looked like moonscapes, covered in purple urchins, while the kelp and much of the species diversity I remembered were gone.
It has been deeply meaningful to me to be part of this project and to tell the story of a diverse group of people working together to help restore these kelp forests.
Harvest to Heal is not only a story about ecological restoration. It is also about collaboration, with scientists, fishermen, divers, conservationists, and members of the seafood community bringing different perspectives and skills to the same problem.
What drew me most to this story was the opportunity to document restoration as it was actually happening. We were able to return to the same site over time and witness the changes firsthand. Seeing young kelp begin to return to an area that had been largely barren made the story feel both urgent and hopeful.
I hope the film gives audiences a better understanding of what has been lost in California’s kelp forests, but also shows that damaged ecosystems can recover when people are willing to work together and try new approaches.
For me, Harvest to Heal is ultimately a story about what becomes possible when people who care about the ocean decide to act.
Film Credits
Executive Producer
Kim Selkoe, Ph.D.
Producer, Story Editor & Director of Photography
Jim Knowlton
Video Editor
Vince Salvati
Additional Cinematography
Ana Sanchez, Christian Garnica, Andrea Weaver
Dialogue Sweetening
Matthew Evering
Additional Media Contributions
Jonny Woodcock, Trent Pettersen, Chris Honeyman, Conner Jainese, Pike Spector, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Funding Support
Eric & Wendy Schmidt, Santa Barbara County Fish & Wildlife Commission
Join Us at SPIFFest
Discover the story of Harvest to Heal at the San Pedro International Film Festival. Join us for an inspiring ocean documentary screening and a conversation with the filmmaker about the people and work behind kelp forest restoration.
Saturday, November 14, 2026 · 1:00 PM
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium · San Pedro, California
