[Coral-List] Coral Reef Restoration NGO-hotel collaboration

[Sarah Frias-Torres]

As a spin-off to the USAID-funded coral reef restoration project I'm coordinating in Seychelles, we initiated a collaboration with an 5-star all-inclusive resort to restore a "coral garden", a small coral reef. This is part of a shallow coral reef (max depth 6 m) that was a vibrant site before the  mass coral bleaching resulting from the 1998 El Nino + Indian Ocean Dipole event. 
The collaboration was possible after we secured funding from GOS/UNDP/GEF (Government of Seychelles/United Nations Development Program/Global Environmental Fund) through their Small Grants Program.
Today we finished transplantation in the coral garden. Fieldwork was completed in 1 month.  The resort will monitor the coral garden progress during the next 11 months. 
The partnership has been publicized in the local media. Here's a brief summary and photos
http://www.natureseychelles.org/knowledge-centre/news-and-stories/latest-news/573-constance-lemuria-nature-seychelles-to-restore-coral-reefs?sthash_U3BewqKs_mjjo=



Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Coordinator Reef Rescuers ProgramIsland Conservation Centre Nature Seychelles,Amitie, Praslin, Seychelleshttp://www.natureseychelles.org-and-Research CollaboratorSmithsonian-National Museum of Natural Historyat Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USATwitter: @GrouperDocBlog: http://grouperluna.wordpress.comhttp://independent..academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres