Corals for Climate: Restoring Resilient Reefs

During this period the efforts of the group of coral gardeners focused on finalizing the evaluation of the transplant sites, evaluated a total of 48 sites. We have now evaluated more than 61 different sites of coral colonies at Puntacana.

They have also introduced microfragments of the Porites Furcata coral species in the nursery of the Grupo Puntacana Foundation, as well as, they have developed an exhaustive maintenance work, for us keep being one of the best coral nurseries evaluated by the Dominican Consortium of Coastal Restoration (CDRC).

Finally, they have collaborated in the realization of other primary activities for the Center for Marine Innovation. A highlight of this activities, was the filmed documentation of the spawning of the coral colonies Acropora Cervicornis at the transplant sites; in the sampling for the study of the biofilm of bacteria from the transplanted coral colonies; and in the selection of seagrass sites for study and conservation.

Continuing with the restoration efforts of the Fundación Grupo Puntacana, the group of coral gardeners (Fausto, Joel and Alberto) has dedicated itself to planting 264 colonies of the staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), which represents 350.37 meters of live coral tissue, in the degraded reefs in the Punta Cana region since last March. Likewise, they supported the transplantation of 192 micro - fragments grown at the facilities of the Marine Innovation Center. Additionally, they have contributed with the evaluation of 12 of 61 coral transplant sites, which will help a more effective restoration of those sites that have been suitable to continue restoring them. Finally, the coral gardeners have been collaborating with other scientific restoration projects in charge of interns or volunteers of the CIM, with the purpose of improving the techniques and methodologies of the restoration efforts that the Foundation is currently carrying out.