François Real @Coral Soul
Since 2012, Coral Guardian has been working to protect and restore coral reefs, working closely with local communities while raising public awareness of the importance of these unique ecosystems.
Coco Tamlyn @ Coral Guardian
Reforestation
The choice of restoration technique depends on local conditions. At the beginning of each project, so-called "fragments of opportunity" are collected - living but broken coral fragments that are lying on the seabed or have become entangled in fishing nets, for example. These fragments are carefully recovered and transplanted onto solid structures in suitable locations for their growth (including a "coral nursery"). The coral fragments are then attached to a stable structure. By growing onto the substrate, the corals can grow and restore biodiversity in the reef. Each coral fragment is taken from the local environment. If the seabed is not too badly damaged, the corals are transplanted directly into their natural environment.
Awareness
Raising awareness among local people is a key part of their work. In the communities they work with, fishing and tourism are the main sources of income. Their goal is to support these communities and help them to collectively recognize how important coral ecosystems are to their food supply and their economy, while also making them understand the importance of sustainable action to restore these damaged ecosystems while still meeting their needs.
They develop tailor-made solutions to raise awareness among children, adults, tourists and boat captains.
They believe that the more they work with local communities, especially in combating coral reef destruction, the more resilient corals will become. The more they protect these ecosystems locally, the less they are exposed to local pressures.
Data Collection & Science
Thanks to the active involvement of their local teams, Coral Guardian has tested different restoration techniques in the marine protected area where they operate in Indonesia. The aim is to identify the most effective methods while giving the local team the opportunity to implement creative ideas and encourage their scientific curiosity.
From 2018 to 2020, various structures with different designs were tested, including hexagonal concrete slabs, metal domes, metal rods and bi-material structures made of bamboo, ropes and more. A few years later, it was decided to focus on metal lattice structures, which proved to be the most efficient due to their robustness and affordability. Coral Guardian continues testing in other projects. In Spain, the Deep Core project uses bio-epoxy, a non-toxic resin, to transplant healthy corals to the seabed. This is the final phase of a months-long process to restore and heal damaged corals, which takes place exclusively at depths of 30 to 50 meters.
The new project in Kenya is characterized by its social component. The restoration of the corals is carried out by members of the local community in cooperation with trained local staff. Interested fishermen and women and men from the community are selected and trained as conservationists to protect and preserve the coral reefs in their region.