We are indeed living in a critical moment in our world. In just 30 years, we have managed to lose 50% percent of the world’s coral reefs.
And these reefs are not just any ecosystem, they abundantly sustain 25% of all sea life – each reef supporting a vibrant array of millions of marine creatures. But it is not only sea life that is sustained by coral reefs: If we do not step up to protect and restore them, it will be our demise as humans as well.
Over 6 million people depend directly on coral reefs in order to live. And, indirectly, without the reefs, we will all suffer catastrophic consequences. What most people do not even realise is that our reefs are just as integral to the health and balance of our planet as the magnificent Amazon.
So, we are faced with what could be one of the biggest and most alarming chain effects that our planet has experienced in its history.
What has been the cause of this massive extinction process? Rising temperatures and acidification of our waters, plastic pollution, sedimentation and chemicals from agriculture – these are some of the toxic contributors which are bleaching and killing the corals. And they all lead back to one culprit. Yes…Humans.
But we humans are also an integral part of the solution. Thankfully, during the last few years, awareness about the severity of this situation has increased exponentially, which has led to thorough scientific investigations and a response that could turn the tides: coral restoration.
Today in coastal locations around the globe we can see numerous coral restoration projects experimenting with different planting and growing techniques in order to raise coral resiliency in more acidic water, to increase growth speed or upgrade the reproduction process.
In the ocean and inside laboratories, coral life has become a priority for thousands of scientists, marine biologists, and conservationists. But even more encouraging is that many local residents around the world are coming to understand that their beloved coastal villages may face major problems if their coral reefs are extinguished. Not only does it affect the loss of marine life, but it means they have less food, less protection for their shores, and less snorkelling and diving, which kills tourism… literally, they will have no life without the reefs.
This is how Proyecto Corales in Samara – a small village on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica -got started. The locals realised that the beauty of this bay had all but disappeared in the last decades, as well as the biodiversity it was home to. There are no more manta rays, which used to be abundant, and far fewer dolphins, turtles, fish and even molluscs.
So, a small motivated group of villagers decided to get together and create this grass-roots NGO, with one glorious goal: to bring back life to their bay, through coral restoration. This was the very first community-driven restoration project in Costa Rica, and one of the few around the globe.
The project is not led by scientists or experts, but by hotel owners, restaurant managers, boat drivers, diving instructors, police and shop owners in the village. With the support of the marine biologist of the INA, a public education institution whose mission is to turn “coral gardening” into a legitimate profession in Costa Rica, the goal is to create a flourishing, village-managed coral restoration project, which will serve as inspiration for many other villages around the world – to show them that with love and passion, anything is possible.
Together they are transforming an empty bay into a thriving, colourful, coral sanctuary, full of thriving marine life, and creating a new type of tourism – one that is sustainable, responsible and encourages a more harmonious partnership between man and the sea. Visitors can go out on boats with team members, learn about coral and be a part of returning life to the reef.
To date, this small group has restored a few hundred coral colonies, all with a high survival and resilience rate. And they continue this passionate work with a goal to restore more than 10.000 fragments in the next year. But they need help to achieve this.
As a humble, community-driven, non-profit organisation, Proyecto Corales is continually running on small donations, so if you would like to help support them and be a part of restoring life to our seas, you can visit the Go Fund Me campaign – Restauremos el Coral en Playa Samara, Costa Rica. Or through Instagram: proyecto_corales
By Alex Dakov and Jannah Britt
Location: Samara, Costa Rica. The “coral” village
