Plant a Million Corals Campaign

Sea to Sky Ventures is partnering with Sea Legacy, a global oceans conservation organization, the St. Maarten Nature Foundation and other world renowned marine biologists, scientists and conservationists to launch the Plant a Million Corals Campaign. This initiative was founded by Dr. David Vaughan, and will see one million corals planted throughout the Caribbean Basin by 2025.

This restoration project is important not only to the ecosystem but will also help draw international attention to the island and benefit St. Maarten’s economic future.

“Shortly after we first broke ground on the Pelican Peak zipline hurricane Irma hit. The island was devastated by the highest winds ever recorded in history. Almost every part of the  island was affected by the storm, even the local corals. The island’s economy that relies heavily on tourism was brought to a stand still.”

The IntelliReefs being installed on three sites around the island are marine biodiversity habitats that assemble like architectural ‘LEGO’ units. Each unit can grow medicines or minerals, create restorative micro climates, or attract reef predators away from healthy reefs.

These units have been proven to grow coral species in just two years that typically take a 100 years to grow on their own in the oceans.

Dr. David Vaughan, President and Founder of the Plant A Million Corals initiative, is a marine scientist responsible for developing the micro-fragmentation technology and implementation of the coral refusion techniques utilized in coral re-growth technology.

“Conservation does not happen by working in isolation. Creating healthy and abundant oceans, protecting what is vital and ensuring that life is sustainable for all takes collaboration and a willingness to step out of a paradigm that says “This is the way it’s always been done.” We must realize that building a better future is only possible through collaboration and creativity.

St. Maarten lost 80% of its coral in Hurricanes Maria and Irma last year, and while this could be a story of doom, some of the sharpest minds in science, business and communication have come together to change how the story ends.

When work to rebuild and preserve ecosystems is embraced by business, government and a global conservation community, we can create the change our oceans so desperately need.” –Sea Legacy

Photo Via Ian Kellett