In an inter-institutional effort conducted by the Colombian Navy, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, National Natural Parks of Colombia, the Islas del Rosario Oceanarium, Conservation International Colombia, the Afro-descendant Community Council of Islas del Rosario, coral gardeners of the Orika Community Council, Ecoguías, an environmental coral restoration activity was carried out in the Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo National Natural Park in the insular area of Cartagena.
During this environmental preservation, recovery and conservation activity, it was possible to coordinate the resources of the diving staff of the Naval Institution and biologists experts in the methodology of coral restoration, who transplanted living fragments of the underwater nurseries and/or plantations made by the Islas del Rosario Oceanarium, in order to bring them to their original condition in the coastal ecosystems.
It should be noted that coral restoration is a possible practice due to its self-sustainability and functionality, leading it through asexual and sexual reproduction methods for those who have difficulty recovering naturally. This type of environmental activities counteract the bleaching that these specimens are going through, product of low tides, pollution or excessive sunlight due to climate change, which mostly cause them serious problems for their preservation and reproduction.
Coral reefs are among the ecosystems of the planet with the highest biological diversity and are among the most productive on the planet, since they represent a great environmental wealth and ecosystem services, such as coastal protection, fisheries resource services, promotion of tourism activity through nautical activities, among others.
This activity is in the same way the result of the One Million Corals for Colombia (1MC) program of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in agreement with Conservation International Colombia and resources of the Colombia en Paz Fund, which promotes the importance of coral reefs to generate awareness and commitment to the environment.
Source: Press – Navy of Colombia
