Coral Restoration
Coral reefs worldwide are exposed to multiple threats, mainly caused by human impacts, this is causing global coral reef degradation. In the Tropical Eastern Pacific of Costa Rica, coral reefs have been affected by unsustainable fishing practises, invasive species, sedimentation from rivers, and runoff from agriculture and human populations. All of these factors call for action – after studying current reef health, and the potential for coral restoration in Costa Rica.
Want to learn more about our coral restoration project?
Our project has been running since 2019 and in that time we have outplanted nearly 1000 new colonies in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
Coral is collected from healthy coral fragments of opportunity or, if necessary, harvested from healthy wild coral colonies. These corals are then fragmented and grown on discs in our ocean nurseries which are situated near our target reef restoration sites. In the nurseries, we care for the coral fragments until they grow to a size suitable for outplanting back on to the reef. Currently, in our coral restoration project, we are working with 4 different species of endemic hard coral.
Want to help? Come and work with us in our coral restoration project on an internship, or take a look at our coral restoration certificate.
Pavona gigantea
Pavona comes in various formations, here it tends to grown in lobulated or plated colonies. When the tentacles are visible, the colony has a furry look. Pavona has an orange, brown or pinkish color in our region. It is normally found in the between 10 and 30 m depth range and is quite slow growing.
Porites lobata
Porites colonies are encrusting and can reach several meters in diameter. Polyps are very small, pentagonal and look like little pores. They are normally found in 12-20m and slow growing. Colonies often display scars and white markings caused by fish bites and are a generally beige or greenish in color.
Pocillopora sp.
Pocillopora is a genus of branching corals with quite short branches. It is normally brown to greenish in color. and Found slightly shallower in the 5-15m depth range.
They grow well in stronger currents or surge and grow reasonably quickly for a stony coral.
