The Soneva Foundation’s Coral Restoration Program has been officially endorsed by the United Nations, which says it’s setting a new standard in reef restoration.
The Soneva Foundation Coral Restoration Program has been listed as part of UNESCO’s ‘The Ocean Decade’ initiative – international recognition of its pioneering work in marine regeneration.
UNESCO says, “With the largest coral restoration facility in the Indian Ocean, complemented by cutting-edge facilities such as a Coral Spawning and Rearing Lab and micro-fragmentation tanks, the Soneva Foundation is setting a new standard in large-scale reef restoration”.
Current restoration efforts are focused on the islands of Kunfunadhoo, located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and Medhufaru.
Through partnerships with local communities, government bodies, the tourism sector, NGOs and international research institutions, the Foundation aims to create a replicable model for coral restoration throughout the region.
Marine biologist Dr Johanna Leonhardt, who is leading the initiative says, “When coral reefs are healthy and thriving, you have better water quality, protection from erosion and an abundance of fish and marine life living within the habitat”.
“All of these add to local ecosystem health, including helping the communities that live close to coral reefs and use these resources as a food source, income through tourism and protection for their homes.
“Coral reefs also indirectly help seed our oceans, providing food to many of the larger fish that are found in deeper water, the species that we fish for and want to eat, even in distant cities.”
She says an important part of the program is to create new coral, where patience is key.
“We are trying to create resilient corals that can survive and thrive in the changing environment. In total, it’s around nine months minimum for these babies to grow before they are planted out into the wild.”
Travellers to Soneva Fushi can get involved by snorkelling to the nursery and learning about what coral is, how it grows, what it needs for food and how it makes a difference in marine creatures’ lives.
For more information, visit soneva.com.
