THANK YOU: Tahiti Tourisme planted a piece of coral for us and it’s a beauty

The Islands of Tahiti are home to an abundance of marine wildlife, and while the oceans surrounding The Islands are crystal clear and truly stunning, by 2050 this could all change.

A group of young adults who live on Mo’orea, are passionate about the water that surrounds them and the marine life within it – and are determined to preserve them.

Taking the ever-growing issue of the deteriorating health of the ocean into their own hands, they have named themselves The Coral Gardeners.

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Vaimana, Thibaud et Titouan qui fixent les morceaux de coraux cassés sur la pépinière, où ils pousseront jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient replantés dans le récif 3 semaines plus tard. Photo prise par le photographe de @natgeocreative Uli Kunz, qui est venu voir notre spot de restauration de corail il y a quelques jours. Uli Kunz a écrit : «Probablement l'une des plus jeunes association au monde (en termes d'âge moyen de ses membres) est basée à Moorea. Ils s'appellent eux-mêmes «les enfants de l'île, les surfeurs, les pêcheurs». Leur but est de restaurer les récifs coralliens endommagés en replantant des fragments de coraux cassés sur des pépinières. J'ai été étonné de voir comment des jeunes de 17 à 19 ans parlent de leur environnement et de leurs idées sur la façon de le protéger. Ils ont certainement une approche différente lorsqu’ils parlent à des élèves à l'école par rapport à un vieux comme moi … Hang loose, mon pote ! » LET’S SAVE THE REEF ! 🏄🏼‍♂️🏄🏼‍♂️ ______________________ Here are the boyz Vaimana, Thibaud and Titouan fixing the broken sections of corals onto the nursery, where they will grow until they are planted back into the reef 3 weeks later. Picture taken by @natgeocreative photographer Uli Kunz, who came to our coral restoration spot a couple days ago. Uli Kunz wrote : « Probably one of the world's youngest (in terms of the average age of its members) NGOs is based in Moorea. They call themselves "island's kids, surfers, fishermen and free-divers". Their aim is to restore parts of damaged coral reefs by transplanting broken coral fragments. I was amazed how 17 to 19 year-old islanders talk about their environment and ideas how to protect it. They certainly have a different approach when talking to pupils in school compared to an old fart like me… Hang loose, bro! » LET’S SAVE THE REEF ! 🏄🏼‍♂️🏄🏼‍♂️ – – – #savethereef #tahiti #moorea #frenchpolynesia #reef #ocean #photography #sealife #marine #photooftheday #beautiful #nature #corals #picoftheday #instagood

A post shared by CORAL GARDENERS (@coralgardeners) on Feb 12, 2018 at 12:26am PST

Growing up on Mo’orea, the teenagers have seen how rapidly the coral reef has changed, for the worse.

All surfers, freedivers, and fishermen – and with salt water running through their veins – the teenagers aim to change the future of the ocean’s wellbeing, starting with The Islands’ reefs.

Due to pollution and climate change from a wide range of human activity, coral reefs around the world are drastically reducing in size, and that’s where The Coral Gardeners come in.

Through conferences with the general public, visitors, and schools, The Coral Gardeners educate adults and children of all ages about the coral’s health and what they’re doing to restore the reef surrounding The Islands.

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Voici un aperçu de notre intervention dans un collège la semaine dernière. L'éducation est la clé pour assurer un futur à notre planète. — I teie hepetoma mairi ae nei, ua farerei atu matou i te feia api i te fare ha'api'ira'a tuarua. Te Ha'api'ira'a o te ho'e teie rave'a faufa'a roa no te feia api no tona ananahira'a. — Last week's intervention in a middle school. Education is key because the youth is our future. Video by Temoana Poole Tehei Van Bastolaer Song : THE DARKNESS @hippiesabotage

A post shared by CORAL GARDENERS (@coralgardeners) on May 1, 2018 at 9:01pm PDT

The teens plant healthy coral fragments back onto the reef to encourage growth and to rebuild habitats.

The idea is to transplant coral cuttings into threatened areas of the reef, which will help to recreate the reef environment so that marine wildlife can prosper and strengthen the health of the surrounding ocean.

The planting of healthy coral is where the general public can help with immediate effect.

Anyone, from anywhere in the world, can adopt a piece of coral that The Coral Gardeners will replant and take care of until it can survive and flourish on it its own.

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Thank you to @gypsea_lust for helping us saving the reef. You can adopt your coral too on www.mooreacoralgardeners.com (link in bio) and even come here to plant it. Let’s create a change together – Let’s save the ocean! #coralgardeners #savethereef #savetheocean #adoptacoral

A post shared by CORAL GARDENERS (@coralgardeners) on Aug 12, 2018 at 6:41pm PDT

This Christmas Tahiti Tourisme adopted a piece of coral for all of us here at KARRYON. Now that’s a Chrissy present we can get behind!

If you’re interested in giving a gift that keeps on giving this Christmas you can adopt someone a piece of coral from $40 and play a part in changing the health of the coral reefs all around the world.

 
• READ: Australia facing Great Barrier Reef tourism challenge
• READ: Hawaii to axe sunscreens with chemicals that damage coral reefs

Do you think this is a great Christmas gift idea?