Forests Without Names:
Bringing light to the Sea Forests the World Overlooked, Until Now
5 minute read
Think of a land forest. Easy. the Amazon, the Black Forest… names surface without hesitation. But a Sea Forest? That one rarely comes to mind. Not because it’s worthless, but because it’s unseen, unnamed, and largely unprotected. And if we can’t even name and give identity to a forest, how can we ever hope to protect it? This Earth Month, Hyundai Motor Company is giving these underwater forests the recognition they’ve been missing.
Beneath the surface: The forests we rarely see
In a world where every inch of the planet is mapped, there are still forests without names. These forests don't appear on the maps, and we rarely mention them in textbooks. They have no signposts, no visitor centers, no postcards bearing their image. And yet, beneath the surface of our oceans, they breathe.
These are Sea Forests; vast underwater ecosystems made of kelp and seaweed that rise and sway like forests in the wind. They absorb carbon as much as land forests, filter pollutants, shelter marine life, and strengthen coastal resilience, and we are just beginning to understand how valuable they really are.
In a powerful acknowledgement of their role in mitigating climate change, in 2025, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) formally recognized seaweed as a blue carbon sink. And yet, most of these Sea Forests still go unrecognized.
Click to watch the campaign Teaser film.
A name. A place. A reason to care.
Building on its Cannes Lions-winning 'Tree Correspondents' campaign, which gave voice to terrestrial forests, Hyundai now turns its attention below the surface. Hyundai’s new global initiative, 'Forests Without Names', expands the brand’s environmental commitment from land to sea, transforming the way we see, define, and ultimately value underwater ecosystems.
The idea is simple, but powerful: “give Sea Forests identities”. Because a name is more than a label. It's ‘recognition’. It establishes a point of reference in language, in law, and in collective memory. It's the first step toward protection, and the foundation upon which governance, research, and stewardship are built.
By collaborating with scientists, NGOs, government entities, and marine experts, Hyundai has identified significant Sea Forests around the world and gave them names for the very first time.
The selected sites span Korea, Argentina, and Australia - regions where the story of a sea forest can genuinely take root.
In Korea, the naming began with a deep local partnership. Under Hyundai Motor Company’s lead, and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, one of two Ulsan’s Sea Forests restored by Hyundai received the name “Ullim,” a word that evokes resonance — like a ripple that travels outward.
Half a world away in Argentina, under participation from a marine conservation NGO and local community groups, Hyundai introduced the name “Auken Aiken,” meaning “Field of Life” in an Indigenous language — a name that carries with it both ecological meaning and cultural memory.
And in Australia, the story becomes a shared one. A shortlist created with local NGOs and community members will soon open to public voting across Hyundai’s global channels, inviting people everywhere to help give this Sea Forest its name — and its place in the world.
Turning Stories Into Scientific Legacy
All of these Sea Forests will be documented on a dedicated website, ForestsWithoutNames.com, forming the foundation of a living global Sea Forest Map. Each site will include coordinates, ecological data, and narratives contributed by local organizations and communities.
The best part? All mapping data generated through ForestsWithoutNames.com will be formally transferred to the Global Collaborative Network ‘Kelp Forest Alliance’, ensuring that the project continues as a scientific and institutional resource. Public storytelling becomes something lasting — a tool for research, monitoring, and conservation planning.
From Ulsan to the World: Where Hyundai’s Sea Forest mission begins
Ullim, the newly named Sea Forest in Ulsan, represents more than a name - it marks where Hyundai’s Sea Forest mission first took root. And the work happening in these waters shows what recognition can unlock.
Since 2024, Hyundai has been restoring nearly four square kilometers of coastal Sea Forests in partnership with Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency. These forests are projected to offset about *1,300 tons of CO₂ each year, with absorption rates of roughly 337 tons per square kilometer - a meaningful contribution to coastal resilience and climate action.
*Source : Korea Fisheries Resources Agency(FIRA), sea forest carbon absorption estimates
Hyundai Motor Company has been committed to forest conservation across both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Through the ‘Forests Without Names’ campaign, we are pleased to shed light on sea forests and highlight their ecological value and the importance of protecting our marine environments. We will continue to advance our sustainability efforts in pursuit of a more environmentally responsible future. - Hyunchul Jeon, Head of Future Business & Sustainability Group at Hyundai Motor Company
From ocean waste to the open road
Hyundai’s broader ocean commitment goes beyond recognition and restoration. Through an ongoing partnership with Healthy Seas since 2021, Hyundai supports the recovery of discarded fishing nets and marine debris across 10 countries, collecting nearly 320 tons of waste to date. The recovered materials are then upcycled into ECONYL® regenerated nylon for use in select Hyundai vehicles. It’s a simple but powerful loop - turning ocean waste into valuable material and reinforcing Hyundai’s approach to circular, sustainable vision.
When recognition becomes protection
In the campaign’s teaser film, a voice rises from beneath the waves: “I am a forest. I make oxygen. I shelter life. But I do not have a name.”
A name doesn’t solve everything, but it creates clarity- a shared way for researchers, communities, and institutions to recognize and protect the same place. By bringing Sea Forests into our maps and our collective imagination, Hyundai shows that progress extends beneath the surface as well.
This Earth Month, the question is simple:
Are we ready to see them, know them, and finally call them by name?
Join the mission at ForestsWithoutNames.com and vote for the name of Australia’s Sea Forest. Click here to vote.
Follow @hyundai for more updates.