An improved coral restoration project surrounding the island resort Nova Maldives, which is renowned for its dedication to sustainable projects, has been unveiled. The resort is an eco-aware, soft-luxury establishment. This most recent project expands on the island resort’s already-existing coral plantation program by giving visitors a direct, hands-on opportunity to protect the surrounding marine habitat.
The island resort has implemented a depth-adjustable coral nursery installation as a creative way to counteract the impacts of warming ocean waters and boost the survival rates of recently planted coral colonies. The local marine biology team at Nova will oversee several planting operations over the course of the upcoming weeks in order to introduce hardy coral fragments that have been gathered from the nearby seas onto the nursery structures. These coral “seeds” will soon be moved to specific repopulation places on Nova’s home reef, where they will eventually develop and flourish to form the foundation of the surrounding reef ecosystem.
Coral bleaching is the term used to describe the occurrence wherein corals turn white and lose their vivid colors. This happens when the symbiotic algae that are essential to the corals’ survival start to disappear from their tissue. This occurs when rising ocean temperatures brought on by climate change cause thermal stress in corals.
“This April, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed a repeat of the 2016 warming event, and our oceans are currently experiencing their fourth bleaching event. Our new construction is expected to decrease mortality among infant coral buds throughout the early stages of colony growth, giving them a better chance to flourish and develop into maturity.” said Toby Corren, Resident Marine Biologist at Nova Maldives. “We hope to take direct action to cultivate the next generation of corals and support the vibrant marine ecosystem that the Maldives is so well known for.”
The program, which encourages visitors to plant their own coral frames as a method to assist the local marine habitat around the island, has been thoughtfully upgraded with this effort. The resident marine biologist at Nova keeps a close eye on their development after that and sends visitors biannual photos of them so they can follow the development of their corals even after they depart the island.
From its launch in 2022, as an island resort dedicated to implementing practical measures to promote conservation on a broader scale, Nova has led several additional similar projects annually. In an effort to increase awareness on World Ocean’s Day, Nova collaborated with well-known Maldivian diving instructor Afaa Abdulla this year to present informative briefings about the biology of whale sharks, the preservation of manta rays, and coral bleaching. In addition, schoolchildren were able to learn more about the important marine ecosystem surrounding their house through an inclusive event that was organized on the nearby island of Dhanghethi. The island resort has worked with the Maldivian Whale Shark Research Program (MWSRP) to conduct collaborative excursions and workshops to promote awareness about the important work that the MWSRP does in preserving these gentle giants, in addition to being recognized by Swim with Mantas as an approved “Safe Manta Tour Operator.”
