[Coral-List] Last 3 days to apply for upcoming - REEF BUILDING WORKSHOP

Thu Jul 15 16:49:54 UTC 2021

Dear Elizabeth and Mike,

With climate change, the same analogy of treating a patient who refuses to
discontinue down a path leading to death, should also be applied to no-take
areas and solving land based pollution and other threats.  The stark
reality is that unless fossil fuels stay in the ground, ALL of these
efforts are doomed to failure.  No-take areas without corals are not coral
reefs at all.  Everything that we do to manage, conserve, and restore coral
reefs is only buying time.  This is our stark reality.  We work under the
assumption that somehow the human systems will find balance and the
required solutions will be applied in time.  This is now becoming quite the
leap of Faith.  It is a cancerous materialism that is killing the planet,
and cancer can be cured, but the cure will take a unified systematic
approach that is presently lacking.

My point has been that If we do not actively intervene to keep each coral
species alive and in a diverse condition, we will begin to lose species
after species of corals.  Extinction begins locally, so the best way to
prevent global extinction of corals and to preserve genetic diversity is to
prevent local extinction. Yet there is no widely recognized strategy or any
significant  funding focused on doing that.  When I arrived in the
Caribbean in 1993 to begin working with Acropora cervicornis restoration, I
found a situation where the corals were continuing to decline.  Staghorn
corals were not producing larvae, and their recruits were as rare as hen's
teeth. The genotypic diversity was extremely low, and when I found a patch
it was typically small and clearly of a single genotype.  With few
genotypes, low biomass, and being widely separated, sexual processes were
failing.  Many of these remnant populations throughout most of the
Caribbean were under heavy predation pressure by snails and fireworms,
continuing to decline in disturbed overfished circumstances.  So staghorn
corals declined further, and in 2004, during a two-week scoping of the
Punta Cana area of DR we could only find three small remnant populations.
We collected from those, and although the source populations have since
gone extinct, the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation has now succeeded in
restoring sizable and diverse patches of the species, with multiple
genotypes, so that sexual reproduction has been restored.  This
preservation and long term maintenance of genetic diversity within
declining coral species, and the restoration of sexual processes, so that
natural recovery processes might be rebooted, is much more important than
the size of the area restored through outplanting.

My experience is that Acropora continues to decline on most reefs in the
Caribbean, and it is locally extinct in many areas.  No-take areas and
solving land based threats will not prevent the corals from going extinct.
Unfortunately, no regional strategy was ever implemented, to systematically
collect and preserve as much of the remaining genetic diversity of this and
other declining coral species.  However many local restoration
practitioners have done this in their own areas, and for this I am
thankful.  I do not see anyone else in our community doing so much for
endangered corals, so please can everyone stop bashing restoration?!

With the onset of repetitive mass bleaching, the process that has happened
in the Caribbean is now impacting reefs of the IndoPacific. The Line
Islands, Phoenix Islands and Gilbert Islands are particularly impacted,with
very few Acropora remnants remaining.  Acropora as a group seems to be the
most sensitive.  Several Acropora species are now locally extinct on
islands that do not have any upcurrent source of recruits. What worries me
most is that in 30 years this will likely be the situation everywhere.

Now back to your point:  I too am concerned that the reef building website
https://www.rrreefs.com/  does not mention anything about the causes of
coral reef decline, nor that their technology does not address any root
causes of decline.  Most strikingly there is no mention of climate change.
 I think that this needs to be corrected before any of us partner with
them.  However, this is a wonderful opportunity to educate willing recruits
to the cause of saving the coral reefs!   These people are engineers and
are not marine biologists, but they are educated people and I am sure they
are receptive to input.  I think what many on this list need to realize is
that science will not save the planet- but that people will!  And yes, some
of these people will be scientists.  There is no technological quick fix,
but technology may have a role. It is important to recognize the importance
of all who desire to help, and rather than cutting them off or
criticizing them,  to do our best to work with them to help  channel the
positive energy and creativity into something that is more science based
and supportive of the wider goal to save coral reefs from continued
decline. Be careful with your judgments and who you discourage.  We need
everyone on deck, working together in our diverse ways.

I think that the coral reef community is not adapting to a recurring
opportunity in these sorts of rogue efforts.  Such efforts emerge again and
again, so better to jump in and mould them into something relevant.  I see
all efforts as a positive sign and as a potential resource, with the
challenge being to reach out to encompass these energetic people and bring
them into our circle of friends, to recognize that everyone has the right
to do their best to make a difference and to contribute, and rather than
criticising such efforts as unworthy and hoarding our knowledge, we had
better focus on helping these valiant (mostly young) people to become
better educated and effective, and in line with an overall strategy to save
coral reefs.  What saddens me is that every time a scientist criticises
efforts at coral restoration, that it harms our field and prevents
progress.   Again: Science will not save the world, people will save the
world, and scientists must become the facilitators of change.

Kind Regards,

Austin

Austin Bowden-Kerby, PhD
Corals for Conservation
Sustainable Environmental Livelihoods for the Future
P.O. Box 4649 Samabula, Fiji Islands
https://www.corals4conservation.org
https://www.facebook.com/C4Conservation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009j6wb
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009j6wb>
TEDx talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PRLJ8zDm0U
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-response-to-massive-coral-bleaching/
<https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-response-to-massive-coral-bleaching/>

Teitei Livelihoods Centre
Km 20 Sigatoka Valley Road, Fiji Islands
(679) 938-6437
http:/www.
<http://permacultureglobal.com/projects/1759-sustainable-environmental-livelihoods-farm-Fiji>
teiteifiji.org
http://permacultureglobal.com/projects/1759-sustainable-environmental-livelihoods-farm-Fiji
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/happy-chickens-for-food-security-and-environment-1/

On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 8:18 AM Elizabeth Sherman via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Mike,
> You say exactly what I have been saying (on this site--where I have been
> shouted down--and others). I liken reef restoration projects to cleaning
> out the coronary arteries of someone with heart disease. If you clean out
> the arteries but the patient continues to smoke (or continues to pollute,
> warm and acidify the reefs), you've just kicked the can down the road for a
> bit but haven't changed the outcome (i.e. dead patient, dead reefs). The
> only way this might be a reasonable strategy (for both patient and reef) is
> if it buys a little more time so the patient can stop smoking. But in spite
> of 40 years of clamoring from the scientific community, reefs continue to
> be degraded due to both local assaults and global assaults. So what is a
> Jeremiah to do???
>
> On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 7:59 AM Risk, Michael via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> >    I don't know what depresses me more, observing the trajectory of my
> >    favourite ecosystem, or watching earnest, committed young people
> >    wasting their time in futile ventures.
> >
> >    The process rrreefs use, 3-D printing of modules, is very cool, very
> >    21st century. (Personally, I have a ton of questions about this. What
> >    "clay?" Illite? Montmorillonite? Organics? Baked? Tests? Longevity?
> etc
> >    etc-like, where's the science?.).
> >
> >    But of course, we shouldn't need any of that. Many, many years ago, I
> >    built some reefs in Discovery Bay (Atoll Res Bull 255, 1981). Various
> >    iterations of concrete blocks, rubble, etc, to find the "best"
> >    configuration. The reefs were all covered with corals and other
> >    epizoans within a few months. All corals need is a surface to settle,
> >    and clean water.
> >
> >    Before any reef rehab efforts are undertaken, anywhere, we must ask
> >    "why did they leave in the first place?" because if those stresses are
> >    not rectified, any and all reef rehab efforts are costly wastes of
> >    time. In the vast majority of cases, the cause of the original
> >    extirpation will be some land-based threat. The one lesson we (I mean
> >    YOU) seem to forget is, if you clean up the water, they will come
> back.
> >
> >    Yeah, I know-same old same old.
> >
> >    Mike
> >      __________________________________________________________________
> >
> >    From: Coral-List <coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> on behalf
> of
> >    Lisa Carne via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> >    Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 6:57 PM
> >    To: Sarah Frias-Torres <sfrias_torres at hotmail.com>
> >    Cc: Hanna Kuhfuss <hanna.kuhfuss at gmail.com>; coral list
> >    <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> >    Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Last 3 days to apply for upcoming - REEF
> >    BUILDING WORKSHOP
> >
> >    Per Sarah's email:
> >    That `something else' is normally called artificial reefs.
> >    While it may have a role/function in certain places, it is not to be
> >    confused with ecosystem restoration.
> >    Also curious about the choice and source of `clay'
> >    Best from Belize,
> >    Lisa Carne
> >    > On 13-Jul-2021, at 16:32, Sarah Frias-Torres via Coral-List
> >    <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> >    >
> >    > Hanna
> >    > Just trying to understand more about the thinking process here.
> >    >
> >    > On the website, you have a statement on "Dive into the science",
> >    where you mention "scientific investigations" on this system of clay
> >    3-D printed modules. Are there any published peer-reviewed scientific
> >    papers, that demonstrate these clay blocks you talk about are
> achieving
> >    coral reef rehabilitation?
> >    > I could not find any links on the website, only a video and a
> >    crowdfunding page
> >    > Can you explain what you mean by rehabilitation? because this is not
> >    coral reef restoration, but something else.
> >    >
> >    >
> >    > <><...<><...<><...
> >    >
> >    > Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D.
> >    > Twitter: @GrouperDoc
> >    > Science Blog: [1]https://grouperluna.com/
> >    > Art Blog: [2]https://oceanbestiary.com/
> >    >
> >    >
> >    > ________________________________
> >    > From: Coral-List <coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> on behalf
> >    of Hanna Kuhfuss via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> >    > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 5:16 AM
> >    > To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> >    > Subject: [Coral-List] Last 3 days to apply for upcoming - REEF
> >    BUILDING WORKSHOP
> >    >
> >    > *Last 3 days to apply for upcoming* - *REEF BUILDING WORKSHOP -
> >    LIVING
> >    > SHORELINES: Green Engineering Methods for Coral Reef Rehabilitation*
> >    >
> >    > *10 - 20 Sep 2021*
> >    >
> >    > Registration deadline: *15th of July 2021*
> >    >
> >    >
> >    > Hi coral-listers,
> >    >
> >    > *Registration for the workshop is open for only 3 more days.* Please
> >    feel
> >    > free to spread it to anyone who might be interested.
> >    >
> >    > We, rrreefs <[3]https://www.rrreefs.com/> (a german/swiss not for
> >    profit
> >    > initiative) are excited to announce *our first-ever *international
> >    > *reef-building
> >    > workshop *in partnership with Corales de Paz
> >    <[4]https://www.coralesdepaz.org/>
> >    > , taking place *this September* in *San Andres, Colombia*.
> >    >
> >    > This goes out to everyone interested in joining us in building the
> >    first
> >    > pilot reef with rrreefs' easy-to-handle 3D-printed stackable brick
> >    system.
> >    > It is a *10-day intensive full-time 100 hours hands-on, and in-water
> >    > practical workshop* (incl. 14 SCUBA dives). The workshop touches on
> >    coral
> >    > ecology, newest approaches to coral restoration and ecosystem
> >    > rehabilitation, appropriate design, logistics, and evaluation of a
> >    > restoration project. We will showcase the feasibility of
> construction
> >    and
> >    > customization, with a subsequent multi-year monitoring program. This
> >    new
> >    > approach of passive, structure-based reef regeneration will be
> >    combined
> >    > with proven active reef restoration approaches such as coral
> >    fragmentation,
> >    > gardening, and transplantation techniques perfected by Corales de
> >    Paz.
> >    >
> >    > The program will be divided into a series of classroom lessons and
> >    field
> >    > activities. Lessons will be held in English. All in-water field
> >    activities
> >    > will be carried out with SCUBA diving equipment.
> >    >
> >    > To download the full program for more details, costs, and other
> >    practical
> >    > information, please check out the Workshop brochure and flyer or
> >    visit our
> >    > homepage rrreefs.com <[5]https://www.rrreefs.com/>
> >    >
> >    > For any additional information, feel free to send an email to
> >    > info at rrreefs.com
> >    >
> >    >
> >    > Cheers,
> >    >
> >    > your rrreefs team
> >    >
> >    > Hanna Kuhfuss
> >    >
> >    > Marie Griesmar
> >    >
> >    > Ulrike Pfreundt
> >    >
> >    > --
> >    > *HANNA KUHFUSS*
> >    >
> >    > *Co-Founder at rrreefs (NGO)*
> >    > rethinking-rebuilding-regenerating coral reefs
>