At Beyond The Corals, we are AWARE of our role in helping the environment. The PADI AWARE Foundation harnesses the collective influence of divers and the dive industry to tackle major threats to the marine environment. That is why we take the responsibility to educate and communicate about nature conservation and how YOU as a diver can be a marine ambassador as well.
Reef Renewal
Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire is a non-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to restoring Bonaire’s coral reefs. With the help of 11 partner dive shops (one of those being us) and dedicated volunteers, Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire has been able to outplant over 55,000 corals back to the reef so far!
Is that enough? Well, we believe that doing nothing is no option. The results are being measured on continuous basis and are positive.
Maybe in 10 years time, we can say that we made a difference.
And if you help, you can say that you made a difference.
The coral nursery
In collaboration with the Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, we manage the coral nursery at Bachelors Beach, which proudly has five tree nurseries and five rope nurseries in it!
These trees have both ‘Staghorn Coral’ and ‘Elkhorn Coral’ fragments growing in them, carefully selected on basis of genotype.
Give something back
Are you an eager diver, looking to give something back to the beautiful underwater world that has given you wonderful experiences?
Along with the Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, we educate people from around the world about how they can help, and use the latest science and research to guide and shape our techniques.
Staghorn coral
Staghorn coral is a shallow-water, branching coral that can form massive thickets. This stony coral is one of the fastest-growing corals in the Caribbean and provides shelter to many fish species, especially juveniles. Staghorn coral is at high risk of extinction, threatened by disease, bleaching, and geographic isolation.
Elkhorn coral
Elkhorn coral is also a shallow-water branching coral, providing shelter for both mature and juvenile reef fish species. Its strong branches assist in breaking t
he force of waves. A combination of disease and environmental impacts has caused this coral to significantly decline. Both staghorn and elkhorn corals are critically endangered and without action are at high risk of extinction.
Become a Reef Renewal Diver
The staghorn and elkhorn corals fragments are hung and protected in our nursery and given time to grow (while being cleaned weekly). Once corals are reef-ready they can be outplanted back onto the reef on the outplanting site. Reef-ready entails that its size and health allow for it to have a good chance of surviving outside the nursery environment and back on the reef. The outplanting method is dependent on the coral species and reef environment.
We offer the opportunity to become a part of this rewarding experience. Through either a Reef Renewal Discovery Dive or the Reef Renewal Diver Distinctive Speciality Course.
Reef Renewal Discovery Dive
This offers you a try out opportunity to learn how to conduct a nursery/restoration site survey and participate in the site maintenance activities such as removing algae and predators, which can damage the corals and affect their growth.
Reef Renewal Diver Distinctive Speciality Course.
However, if you want to become a Reef Renewal Volunteer, the Reef Renewal Diver Distinctive Speciality Course is the one for you. This course includes three training dives and classroom sessions to learn all the techniques involved in the reef restoration process. You will participate in all the activities that need to be carried out in the nurseries and on the restoration sites. Below we have briefly outlined each dive:
Dive 1: Nursery and restoration site maintenance by conducting a survey, cleaning, removing algae and predators, which can damage the corals and affect their growth.
Dive 2: Learn how to prune, tie and tag the coral fragments which will be hung on the nursery trees.
Dive 3: Learn how to outplant mature corals onto the reef to ensure their growth in the actual reef system.
After completion of this course, you will be a qualified diver for the Volunteer Program with the Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire.
Let us know if you are interested in either discovering our coral nursery or becoming a Reef Renewal Volunteer, we would love to welcome you to the Reef Renewal Volunteer community. For those who are already Reef Renewal Volunteers, we would like to thank you for your contribution in protecting our ocean.
Contact us if you are interested in joining us for a weekly nursery clean. We provide air tanks for volunteers.