[Coral-List] Call For Expert Coral Volunteers for Tsunami Coral Reef Restoration-Apologies for Xpostings.

[Todd Barber]

We Need Your Help With Thailand's Tsunami Coral Reef Restoration Effort



NOTE: This is not a commercial solicitation it is a call for Expert Coral 
Volunteers.



The Reef Ball Foundation (a 501(c) 3 Public Charity) in association with the 
government of Thailand's Ministry of Natural Resources, Reef Ball Thailand, 
Racha and Racha Sea Masters needs your assistance with the Phuket Coral 
Rehabilitation project's post-tsunami work to aid in the environmental and 
economic recovery of the disaster affected Phuket region.



Project Poster with images here.



What's up?



The Reef Ball Foundation has been working in Thailand on a Coral restoration 
project on Racha Island, just south of Phuket since before the Tsunami.  The 
Tsunami made a real mess of the corals in the bay and so we have been 
invited by our local team (Racha Resort, Seamaster Divers and Reef Ball 
Thailand) and the Prime Minister, Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, and Minister for 
the Environment Khun Suwit Khunkitti to expand our coral rescue, reef clean 
up, Crown of  Thorns monitoring, reef rehabilitation/restructuring, 
livelihood restoration, Post-Tsunami bay management planning, buoy 
installation, MPA action plan, coral propagation / coral genetic bank 
creation (This genetic bank consists of a Reef Ball for each type of coral 
we rescue / propagate with as many "families" of that type planted on the 
Reef Balls), scuba/dive trail formation, snorkeling trail formation,  and 
coral planting project.  We sent a team of 8 down last week to assess the 
situation and get everything set up for a full project the month of April. 
By April, 300 Reef Balls will be in place for the team to begin the coral 
propagation and restoration processes.  The Racha Resort is a 5 star resort 
but is rebuilding it's dive center, and some damaged infrastructure and 
therefore is currently not open to the public.  This is a blessing for us as 
we can use the fantastic rooms for our own expert volunteer crews and they 
will provide the rooms and food free to all volunteers accepted for the 
project.  We hope to have a team of up to 60 volunteers during the month of 
April.



There are several ways you can assist us in this urgent and important work.



We are going to select people to go on the trip based on an email 
application system.  Basically, if you want to go, we need you to send us an 
email with 1) What talents you can offer (not necessary if you are already a 
Coral Team member since we already know this).  The more your unique talents 
are needed for the overall team, the more likely you will be selected, 2) 
What dates you can attend (working days are M-F during the entire month of 
April...the longer you can stay the more likely we will select you), 3) The 
amount of financial support you can provide or will need provided.  (I.E. if 
you are not already a coral team member or Field Expert such as coral 
scientist/researcher/skilled advocate, we suggest a donation of $2000 to the 
project to help cover project expenses and to support your application...but 
this might be in any form such as donated FF points for another team member, 
etc. (It is NOT required)  If you are a Coral Team Member or Expert then 
tell us what you need to come (i.e. for us to cover airfare, expenses or 
stipend).  The higher your contribution or the lower the requirements the 
better chance you will have of getting selected.  Basically, this project 
needs to be self funded so we will need a balance of people donating verse 
experts that need some expenses covered.  If you are on the CORAL list, you 
are likely someone that we would value more for talent than for financial 
support.  Note: The Reef Ball Foundation has already funded over $50K in 
molds, coral propagation supplies, team visits, survey work, etc. and the 
opportunity to expand this project is based solely on the amount of 
financial support we can obtain from multiple sources.



Work will begin on the week of April 3rd and continue through the week of 
April 25th.  See the Reef Ball Calendar System to view the latest schedule. 
Volunteers that are accepted are expected to post their travel schedules & 
Itineraries to this calendar system as well as emergency contact 
information.  You will be given a password and user id if accepted to the 
project.



Those accepted and joining us in Thailand will be provided:



Ground and sea transportation to project and hotel when we meet them in 
Phuket until their departure

Full accommodations and meals for the duration of their stay at the 5 star 
Racha Sanctuary Resort on Koa Racha Yai

Tanks & Weights, each volunteer must be dive certified* and provide us with 
a copy of their diving cards & passport.

Laundry Service

Weekends off for leisure (Stay at Racha for free or venture to 
Phuket/Excursions on your own).

Applicants must be 18 years or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian 
and in good health and physical condition to handle the long hours and 
difficult work in hot conditions.

You will be asked to sign a waiver of liability.  Contributions to the 
project to support your application are tax deductible in the US (Talk with 
your tax advisor to verify this) as a donation to a 501(c) 3 Public Charity.

We have a "work hard, play hard" kind of culture.  There will be a private 
band for the group most nights, a volunteer room with snacks & drinks 
provided.  We expect to have internet access in the volunteer room but since 
there is a lot of construction going on country wide don't count on that 
being too reliable.  Volunteers will get t-shirts, have the opportunity to 
enhance their Coral Team Certificates or to obtain one.





Sorry this seems a bit complicated, but this is an emergency activation and 
we need to put together a top team quickly.  Please email...don't call...for 
needed details to keep things easier for us.  John Walch (john at reefball.com) 
and Marjo Van Der Buick (Marjo at reefball.com) will be leading the team and 
Todd Barber will be overall project manager (reefball at reefball.com). 
Applications will be decided upon by a Reef Ball Foundation Committee on 
March 15th, all decisions final.  We will continue to post detailed project 
information on our website under Thailand World Mapping System.  Found at 
http://www.reefball.com/map/thailand.htm and you can even see some pictures 
of the start of the project from the team visit last week.  This is a 
historic opportunity not only to help in the world's largest natural 
disaster in our lifetimes, but a great chance to help restore a, once 
beautiful, coral reef.



The work environment is absolutely idea for our work.  Water is clear, there 
is an abundant supply of imperiled coral fragments (our team has done 
assessments and nursery work already), and we have already shipped by 
container all the supplies we will need.  We built a very advanced floating 
coral table & fragmenting/deployment station.  All you really need to bring 
is your own dive gear (underwater digital dive cameras are also encouraged). 
Our teams will be well organized in terms of the exact activities we will be 
performing each day.



You will find travel, food and accommodations safe as the there has been 
substantial infrastructure rebuilding in Thailand.  Our teams did have a 
little trouble with email as the internet seemed to go down a lot with all 
the construction efforts.  Our hosts were VERY nice and helpful.  They are 
building a restaurant just for our team....will have a live band just for us 
every night...and of course you will get all the tanks of air you want.  The 
earliest applications will be favored so get yours in as soon as possible.



If you can't go.... consider donating money or some frequent flyer miles to 
support another expert volunteer coming.  All donations are to a public 
charity and should be write offs for tax purposes (check with you tax 
advisor).



Do you use  American Airlines? Whenever you book a flight, use the Reef Ball 
Business Extra #754011.
 You still get all your frequent flyer points and Reef Ball Foundation gets 
credit toward future flights!



For more information on our CORAL TEAM see 
http://www.reefball.com/reefballcoalition/index.html



To see a similar project we did last year go to 
http://www.reefball.com/map/antiguascience/antiguapressrelease.htm



Cordially,

Todd Barber
Reef Ball Foundation
reefball at reefball.com