In recent weeks, there have been few publications highlighting the importance of coral reef restoration work through training and employment of local communities. This is something that Ocean Gardener chose to promote right from the beginning. A lot of foreigners are interested in getting involved with coral reef restoration, but unfortunately, it’s only with the help of the locals that results can be achieved.
Involvement of Local Community:
Using communities to restore reefs has a proven record, and numerous publications highlight this. Through the Indonesian Fishermen Association, Ocean Gardener always sought some Fishermen communities interested in working in coral reef conservation. Training and employing local communities to restore and plant their reef leads to the best conservation results.
Recently a social publication, highlighted the benefits of coral reef restoration trained local communities:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11852-024-01041-6
Identifying the right reefs with the right community:
Finding a suitable community living on the appropriate reef is a lottery game; it can take years to find! Read about our Nusa Penida restoration community.
What are source reefs?
Source reefs are coral reefs that are particularly important for the replenishment and recovery of other reefs. They are characterized by a high abundance and diversity of coral species, as well as a high rate of coral reproduction and larval dispersal. These reefs act as key sources of coral larvae, which are transported by ocean currents to other reefs, helping to maintain genetic diversity and facilitate recovery after disturbances such as bleaching events or storms.
Identifying the reefs that seed other reefs in the region is one of the ultimate and desperate goals of modern coral reef conservation. Old and large colonies that resisted former bleaching events are great potential source reefs, that could help restore other reefs with heat resistant offsprings, just through sexual reproduction.
The first step is to identify resistant and resilient reefs, such as those that still hold large and old coral colonies, next to deep, high-flow and cooler water. Those initial observations can then be validated through hydrodynamics, then processed using genomics tools such as e-DNA.
Unfortunately, these reefs, with all the human generated threats are getting more and more difficult to find.
Conservation minded community:
Most communities in a third-world country are focused on daily survival needs. They have short-term issues, such as putting food on the table. So being able to find a community in developing countries that has a long-term vision is very difficult. The chance of finding a conservation-minded community living next to a source reef is tiny, like striking gold. The survey work can take forever.
This type of work requires a long-term effort. Changing mentalities is a generational process, one generation at a time. Working with the adult, while educating the youngsters is a long undertaking. To achieve any results, we need to be ready to commit, financially and with our time in the long run.
Coral reef restoration work through training and employment of local communities is not an easy task. However; when the planets align, the result can be amazing! Look at our Nusa Penida Ped nursery.