Reef Restoration Project: rebuilding reefs, restoring biodiversity

at a glance

• Launched in 2013

• Rebuilds damaged reefs

• 4 full-time coral gardeners

• 7 restoration sites

• Coral gardeners transplant living corals on to artificial substrate

• Cost-effective & low tech

• Easy to implement on large scale

• Engages local communities and high school students

Achievements

In 2023, our Reef Restoration Project restored 1392m² of reef.

The team manages seven restoration sites and has restored 3452m² since the project began.

We launched the Reef Restoration Project in 2013 to rebuild coral flats that had been devastated by dynamite fishing prior to the establishment of the MPA network.  The goal of the program is to rebuild reefs, thereby increasing fish life which brings associated benefits to both local communities and visitors.

Using a technique called coral transplantation our team of coral farmers, which include marine scientists, Misool Rangers and university students, create artificial reefs from wire mesh frames on areas of broken coral. Living corals are transplanted onto these frames and cleaned and monitored so that they have the best chance of survival. Over time, these reefs will grow naturally, providing new habitat for fish, corals and other reef creatures.