Wildlife Conservation Mexico Project #50704

Coral Reef Restoration & Conservation In Mexico

by GVI Charitable Programs

Project Report | Apr 2, 2024
World Water Day highlights importance of clean water

By Mexico team | Project Leader

Thankyou for your continued support for our conservation project.

World Water Day often serves as a platform to raise awareness about the importance of clean water, not only for human consumption but also for the health of our oceans and coastal environments.

On World Water Day, March 22nd, our team visited the beach to highlight the connection between water pollution and marine ecosystems.

Our beach cleaning initiatives not only help to remove litter and debris from coastal areas but also educate the public about the importance of reducing plastic waste and preventing pollution. Your support allows us to provide resources for these initiatives.

Last year our team conducted 33 site clean-ups and collected over 44 kgs of plastic waste. This year we have already collected over 120 kgs of plastic waste.

By participating in weekly beach cleaning activities throughout the year, we aim to highlight the importance of protecting and preserving our oceans and water resources.

Our work has also included assisting in out-planting several Orbicella and Diploria corals on the reef with our Federal partners.

These corals are important reef-building species and contribute to coral reef ecosystems' structural integrity and biodiversity. Unfortunately, they are also susceptible to various threats, including coral bleaching, ocean acidification, pollution, and disease outbreaks such as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).

However, these coral fragments were out-planted on our reef as they have shown resilience, specifically in recovering from last summer's bleaching event. We are optimistic these little ones will survive and thrive after this summer's prediction of a more severe bleaching event.

Your valued donations allow us to continue working with our partners on these restoration projects. Your support through donations is greatly appreciated.

You can also help us help our oceans by limiting our use of single use plastics, harsh chemicals in cleaning supplies and of course recycle, REUSE and REDUCE!

Thank you for your support!

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Dec 3, 2023
Multiple approaches to conservation

By Mexico team | Project team

Our thanks for your ongoing support of our coral reef research project in Mexico, which plays a pivotal role in the conservation of the Mesoamerican Coral Reef System.

One approach to our conservation efforts is site clean ups. So far this year we have collected over 400 kgs of plastic waste. Your support helps us with resources and equipment to continue these clean ups.

Species monitoring is also a key aspect of this project. Through this project we have conducted over 80 surveys of endangered specicies. This information contributes to ongoing data sets and helps our team better understand the the species in the region.

Your contributions directly contribute to vital initiatives, including coral reef restoration through the establishment of coral reef nurseries. In collaboration with our partner, Inapesca, we have successfully transferred the Coral Estrella Montaña (Orbicella Faveolata) from our coral nursery to the natural reef habitat.

The process involves meticulous steps to ensure the success of coral restoration. Initially, we carefully remove the coral trays from the nursery, cleaning them thoroughly. Subsequently, we prepare a designated area on the reef by planting a cement dome. Finally, we transplant the coral fragments into the cement, providing them with a conducive environment to thrive and eventually develop into larger colonies.

Collaborating with our partners in this intricate process is a rewarding endeavor, and we eagerly anticipate monitoring the success of these initiatives, keeping you informed of the positive impact your support has on the coral reef ecosystem.

Your support is instrumental, and we acknowledge that your generous donations play a crucial role in making projects like the coral reef nursery not only possible but also effective. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for your commitment to the preservation of these vital ecosystems.

Thank you,

The Mexico Team

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Jul 10, 2023
From coral nursery to reef

By Mexico team | Project team

Thank you for your continued support of our coral reef research project in Mexico.

Your contributions support vital work in conserving the Mesoamerican Coral Reef System. A reef that stretches over 1000 km along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. This reef system supports more than 500 species of fish and 65 species of stony coral.

Climate change, compounded by issues such as overfishing, pollution and the impacts of coastal development affect the health of the coral reef system. It's vital that we take action to restore the health of the reef.

One of these actions is coral reef restoration via coral reef nurseries.

We have worked with our partner Inapesca to transfer the Coral Estrella Montaña (Orbicella Faveolata) from our coral nursery to the reef.

To do this, we remove the coral trays from the nursery and clean them up. Next, we clean an area of the reef to plant a cement dome, and finally, we plant the coral fragments in the cement, which eventually will grow over.

The coral fragments grew in our nursery for 6 months and finally reached a size where we could move them out into the ecosystem to grow into larger colonies.

The method of coral fragmentation we and our partners use is a 5 step process:

1) We take a section of a healthy coral from a large, strong wild colony.

2) We move coral to a controlled lab environment to be fragmented, this increases the speed of which the coral can grow.

3) The coral fragments are kept in a lab to heal and begin growing.

4) Fragments are moved to a nursery near the area they will be planted.

5) The fragments are moved into the reef ecosystem to grow by themselves.

Its rewarding to be part of this process with our partners and we look forward to monitoring the success and reporting to you.

In June we took the time to enjoy World Reef Awareness Day. It was an opportunity to reflect on how vital the ocean’s coral reefs are, as well as how fortunate we are to get to experience them every day!

We appreciate your support and recognise that your donations can make projects like the coral reef nursery effective.

Thank you,

The Mexico team

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