Sequoias of the Sea: Film Screening & Discussion
Saturday, November 22, 2025
2:00pm to 4:00pm Pacific Time
Merrill Hall
Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds
800 Asilomar Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Free, open to the public, registration requested
SEE FILM TRAILER & REGISTER HERE: GO.MIIS.EDU/SOS

About the Film
Sequoias of the Sea: A Film by Natasha Benjamin and Ana Blanco

Kelp forests cover a quarter of the world’s coastlines, providing food and shelter for thousands of species, while also sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. But over the past decade a third of these forests have been lost across the planet. Along the 350 mile stretch of coastline from San Francisco to the Oregon Border we have lost a striking 95% of kelp forests. While many other important ocean ecosystems are getting attention, such as coral reefs, kelp is the lost forest of the ocean that is disappearing before our eyes.

With a perfect storm of climate change causing warming oceans, sea stars disappearing and urchin populations exploding, we are witnessing an ecological disaster in one of the most highly managed and protected coasts in the world.

We will take you on a dive through the cold rough waters of northern California, where most have never set eyes, bringing the audience beneath the surface of the ocean to highlight the beauty, fragility and resilience of California’s hidden forest. What’s happening in the ocean is changing lives on land, bringing fishermen, scientists and tribe members together, to restore this critical ecosystem and build a new blue economy.

About the Event

Sequoias of the Sea is only screening at film festivals, so this is a rare public screening. This event will feature a panel of ocean experts and opportunities to talk to local ocean conservation organizations.

Event Schedule

1:30pm Doors Open
2:00pm Event begins
4:00pm Event ends

Parking & Location: Merrill Hall

Merrill Hall is located at the Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds, 800 Asilomar Avenue, Pacific Grove, 93950. Parking is free at Asilomar Hotel & Conference Grounds and there is no park entrance fee.

Questions

Contact Rachel Christopherson at the Center for the Blue Economy at cbe@miis.edu or (831) 647-4183.