Sunflower Star Laboratory Restore the Sunflower Star Save our Kelp We are growing sunflower stars to aid in the management and recovery of this keystone species In 2013 sea star wasting syndrome SSWS began devastating sea star populations along the west coast of North America with sunflower stars Pycnopodia helianthoides becoming locally extinct in the shallow coastal waters where they served as a keystone predator protecting kelp forests from overgrazing by urchins. Since then many complex kelp forest ecosystems have become lowbiodiversity urchin barrens. In collaboration with universities aquariums and research laboratories Sunflower Star Laboratory aims to develop methods and mobilize resources to grow sunflower stars at the scale needed for recovery. A sunflower star clings to a rocky reef in Alaska.