Kelp - Past, Present, and Future

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Join kelp farmer Suzie Flores of Stonington Kelp Co., history professor at UCONN Matthew McKenzie, and program director at Greenwave Kendall Barbery, for a conversation about the geologic history of Connecticut and its contribution to the nutrient rich waters in which kelp thrives, kelp farming today, and the vision for the future of kelp as an important addition to the culinary and environmental future of this region. Stonington Kelp Co is owned and operated by Suzie and Jay Flores. The Pawcatuck based couple partnered with Greenwave in 2016 and in 2017, their farm was up and running with a hope to grow a native sea vegetable that could be shared with their family and their community while doing something great for the environment. Suzie and Jay farm their kelp in Fisher's Island Sound in the winter months (November-April) each year and are excited to bring this sustainable food to a dinner plate near you. About Matthew McKenzie: Matthew McKenzie is a Professor of History and Maritime Studies at the University of Connecticut, and since 2012, the Connecticut Obligatory Delegate to the New England Fishery Management Council. His research focuses upon New England marine environmental history, maritime history, and the intersection of ocean science and public policy. His two books explore the complexities of of these themes in New England’s fisheries : Clearing the Coastline: The Nineteenth Century Cultural and Ecological Transformation of Cape Cod (2010), and Breaking the Banks: Representations and Realities in the New England Fisheries, 1866-1966 (2018). GreenWave trains and supports regenerative ocean farmers and works with coastal communities throughout North America to create a blue green economy—built and led by regenerative ocean farmers—that ensures we all make a living on a living planet. As programs director, Kendall leads GreenWave's national reef replication effort and oversees their inaugural farmer training program and kelp nursery, based in New England. Prior to joining GreenWave, Kendall managed green infrastructure design and implementation projects with partners in Connecticut and New York, helping to mitigate nutrient and bacterial pollution in Long Island Sound. Kendall earned a Master of Environmental Science from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies where she studied social ecology and water resources management.

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