[Coral-List] Last 3 days to apply for upcoming - REEF BUILDING WORKSHOP
walt smith
walt at waltsmith.com
Thu Jul 15 15:25:06 UTC 2021
Dear all,
There has been a lot of criticism lately (on the internet and blog sites
such as this) about the value of coral farming and reef restoration work.
The comments seem to center around the question of “why bother, the reef is
dying anyway and unless the world changes its unsustainable habits it will
continue to die”.
There is no doubt we have to change our unsustainable practice of burning
fossil fuel but we have to be realistic. To suddenly abandon a system, that
has been entrenched into our way of life before we knew there was a
problem, will take vision and time … a lot of time. Meanwhile, solutions
may arise out of the smoke brought about by the diligent efforts of those
that refuse to accept the “what’s the use until we change everything”
attitude. I agree that change is necessary but I also argue on the side of
the “cost of doing nothing”.
I have been involved with this work since 1998 planting about 60,000 new
coral fragments per year and almost all wind up on the reef with very good,
measurable success. I feel I have earned the right to comment on this trend
of thought and although I do not share 100% the same opinion I do have a
view to consider.
Thank you for allowing me to post this short essay.
Walt Smith
*The Dreamers, the Doers, and the Doubtful,*
It all starts with recognizing that a problem exists. In any walk of life
we choose to pursue, if we look hard enough or care enough we can find
problems that need to be addressed. In some cases these problems involve
creating a solution to improve our daily routine, as mankind constantly
evolves to make our lives easier, by overcoming one small obstacle at a
time. Some call this progress and, for others, a complacent acceptance that
we have marginally progressed enough, and is sufficient, while life goes on.
For the Dreamer, the mind wanders beyond the obvious and becomes connected
to the basic idea of “what if”. In this world of thought the solution is
merely a plan to create a process or idea that takes us into uncharted
territory that is usually referred to as experimental. We can neither
ignore nor deny that without the dreamer the quality of life, as we know it
today, would lack meaningful achievements set at a pace that we now enjoy.
Sometimes these achievements involve solutions to create a better
understanding of the environment we all share and benefit from. In the end
it is a fact that we must accept, not all dreams bear fruit but they do
provide a basis to refine and develop. Dreamers are an essential part of
this process.
For the Doer, they take those dreams and strive to turn them into practical
reality. This is where experimentation becomes physical and trial and error
is inevitable. By doing we learn and by learning we progress. At this stage
of development there are no textbooks available as we create the way
forward for future generations to follow and improve upon. Sometimes there
are many solutions to solve the same problem. Innovation has a mysterious
pathway to achieve success and our individuality plays a key role in the
path we take. Sometimes there are many “right” ways to solve a common
problem. The doer makes things happen and often sets examples for others to
follow, this is how we move forward.
The doubter is a useful and essential part of the process. To question
theory has always been part of the natural order of science. Most often,
doubters will play a key role in our determination to succeed. When a valid
argument is raised to examine the “why” the doer has a responsibility to
report both the successes and failures. There is usually plenty of both. We
must caution ourselves against accepting a possible negative outcome based
only on a doubtful theory. Sometimes these theories are based on reasonable
scientific expectations that are often proven wrong in practical
application. Sometimes a positive outcome can be overwhelming and sometimes
marginal but we are always learning and that is what drives our
determination to continue.
There is no doubt that our marine environment is under extreme pressure to
survive the onslaught of the human race. At the present pace of decline it
is difficult to imagine that we have the resources to compete with its
eventual demise. At this crucial time we are presented with choices to
either continue to “do” or shrug in defeat and give into “doubt” while our
efforts are left in vain.
In my opinion, we must allow the doers to do. Without their efforts to
continue moving forward the possibility of even one significant
breakthrough, that could change our future, would not be possible.
The message is clear, the goal is unanimous and we must always be cognizant
of the fact that without reasonable experimentation and reliance on our
successes, no matter how few, the way forward will be impaired by those who
choose to doubt rather than those who dream and choose to do.
Walt Smith (Fiji)
On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 3:08 PM Hanna Kuhfuss via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> Since our last post: „Last 3 days to apply for upcoming - REEF BUILDING
> WORKSHOP“ has attracted some attention, we try to respond to your
> questions, suggestions, and criticisms collectively here. Thank you for
> your emails, time, and attention.
>
> 1) Briefly to classify us. We are a very young not-for-profit association
> founded last year in October. We are a motivated and interdisciplinary team
> with scientific, artistic, and dive-technical/scientific-diving background.
> We are just at the beginning with this project, even though we have been
> independently active in science and science communication for quite some
> time (for previous publications and exhibitions please just google Ulrike
> Pfreundt, Hanna Kuhfuss, and Marie Griesmar). The clay structures we have
> developed (they are pure fired Terracotta clay) have been tested by us in
> the laboratory in the flow channel for their hydrodynamic properties and we
> are currently evaluating our first biodiversity experiment, which has been
> in the water in the Maldives since the end of 2019. The artificial reef we
> are building now in Colombia is our first prototype, a real study case, and
> our first proof of concept in the wild, with a subsequent multi-year
> monitoring program, further R&D, and different studies in partnership with
> universities and other organizations working in the coral care sector.
> Therefore we have not published or peer-reviewed scientific papers yet. Our
> study just started and we will be happy to share our findings when they are
> ready to publish.
>
> 2) What does rehabilitation mean to us? We are aware of the fact that
> actually "restoring" a coral reef is nearly impossible. Then we would also
> need a baseline: To which previous condition would it be restored? So,
> instead, we aim to rehabilitate coral reefs in the sense that we provide
> habitat for a high diversity of organisms, including corals, trying to
> provide the best possible starting conditions for the reef ecosystem to
> regenerate itself. Creating macro and micro surface textures with our 3-D
> printed clay structures that are designed to help coral recruits survive,
> as they provide favorable conditions in terms of flow, shelter, and
> porosity – of course, this hypothesis needs to be further scientifically
> tested. For the future, we aim to scale to self-sustaining breakwaters
> designed as green living barriers to restore biodiversity, ecosystem
> services such as food provision, coastal protection, and protection of
> other marine habitats (mangroves and seagrass meadows). Well, and everyone
> has to start small one day – so here we are.
>
> 3) Our intention: We aim to work on substrate enhancement methods that can
> restore lost habitat in places where reefs cannot recover because
> structurally complex habitat is missing, similar to MARS reef spiders but
> trying to offer more space for coral larvae instead of relying only on
> coral fragments, and trying to generate more habitat altogether. That way,
> we hope to achieve higher genetic diversity on our new eco-designed
> structures.
>
> We are aware that building new artificial reef structures will not solve
> coral die-off directly and will not address climate change, ocean
> acidification, and local stressors. I think we agree on that - Mike and
> Elizabeth, and hopefully with most of you?! We address those issues
> indirectly through our educational work and collaboration with others. We
> are trying to give nature more time or is anyone here convinced that
> humanity will change overnight and live sustainably? We don't think so. So
> would it be more correct to do nothing and wait for a miracle of human
> change to happen - preferably already yesterday? No, we think it needs all
> of it: rehabilitation, reconstruction, climate action, environmental
> protection, protected areas, ban zones, and above all a sustainable global
> society, in which people have the same opportunities and possibilities.
> Only then will it be possible to live in balance with nature. Well, or at
> least with less harm and responsible use of resources.
>
> By designing our engineered structures from science in an aesthetic way,
> and including workshop participants and local people in the process, our
> hope is that we can use the artificial reef not only for habitat creation
> but also as an object that generates interest and curiosity to learn more
> about what harms coral reefs and also what makes them so astonishingly
> beautiful. We believe that an artificial reef, with the right communication
> functioning as an environmental awareness-raising living object, can be a
> starting point to address local stressors as well as global issues, and
> will reach further than people who directly depend on it.
>
> All the best
>
> yours rrreefs team
>
> Hanna Kuhfuss
>
> Marie Griesmar
>
> Ulrike Pfreundt
>
>
>
>
> Am Mi., 14. Juli 2021 um 17:52 Uhr schrieb William Precht <
> william.precht at gmail.com>:
>
> > I encourage people to read
> >
> > Precht, W.F. and Robbart, M.L. (2006) Coral reef restoration: the
> > rehabilitation of an ecosystem under siege. *in* Precht, W.F. (ed) Coral
> > Reef Restoration Handbook, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL pp. 1-24
> >
> > While it is now a little dated it addresses all the arguments being
> > discussed in this thread.
> >
> > If anyone has trouble accessing the chapter - please send me a direct
> > email.
> >
> > Coral reef restoration: the rehabilitation of an ecosystem under siege
> > <
> https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-AHOBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Precht,+W.F.+and+Robbart,+M.L.+Coral+reef+restoration:+the+rehabilitation+of+an+ecosystem+under+siege.+in+Precht,+W.F.+(ed)+Coral+Reef+Restoration+Handbook,+CRC+Press,+Boca+Raton,+FL+pp.+1-24&ots=rTBB_7juCJ&sig=lVAJYPq2dX5Y3iEz6EW5mR7auJM
> >
> > WF Precht
> > <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cLDYyigAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra>, M
> > Robbart - Coral reef restoration handbook, 2006 - books.google.com
> > Today, coral reefs are under siege from a number of environmental
> > pressures. Accordingly, the management of the world's coral reef
> resources
> > is the subject of some controversy. 1 General agreement exists about the
> > value of these ecosystems in terms of ecological, social, and aesthetic
> > benefits. 2 There is also some agreement that an estimated 24% of reefs
> > are in danger of collapse from human pressures3 and another 26% are under
> > the threat of longer-term degradation and collapse. Admittedly, the
> numbers
> > and percent devastation …
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 11:20 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
> >> > >
> >> > > www.rrreefs.com<[6]http://www.rrreefs.com>
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > *Geschaeftsfuehrerin/Gruenderin Aerialnauten *
> >> > >
> >> > > *by Schwerelos Yoga Freiburg*
> >> > >
> >> > > *Aerial Yoga Studio, Yoga Therapie & Training*
> >> > > *mail schwerelosyoga.freiburg at gmail.com
> >> > <schwerelosyoga.freiburg at gmail.com>*
> >> > > *mobile* (+49) 177 3454 952
> >> > > [7]www.schwerelos-yoga.de<http://www.schwerelos-yoga.de>
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > Coral-List mailing list
> >> > > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >> > > [8]https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > Coral-List mailing list
> >> > > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >> > > [9]https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Coral-List mailing list
> >> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >> > [10]https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> >
> >> > References
> >> >
> >> > 1. https://grouperluna.com/
> >> > 2. https://oceanbestiary.com/
> >> > 3. https://www.rrreefs.com/
> >> > 4. https://www.coralesdepaz.org/
> >> > 5. https://www.rrreefs.com/
> >> > 6. http://www.rrreefs.com/
> >> > 7. http://www.schwerelos-yoga.de<http://www.schwerelos-yoga.de
> >> > 8. https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> > 9. https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> > 10. https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Coral-List mailing list
> >> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Elizabeth Sherman, Ph.D.
> >> Professor of Biology, *Emerita*
> >> Bennington College
> >>
> >>
> >> *As coral reefs go, so goes the planet.*
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Coral-List mailing list
> >> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > William F. Precht
> >
> > “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice
> > you have”
> >
> > Bob Marley
> >
> >
> > "Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you
> > don't have the strength."
> >
> > Theodore Roosevelt
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> *HANNA KUHFUSS*
>
> *Co-Founder at rrreefs (NGO)*
> rethinking-rebuilding-regenerating coral reefs
>
> www.rrreefs.com
>
>
> *Geschäftsführerin/Gründerin Aerialnauten *
>
> *by Schwerelos Yoga Freiburg*
>
> *Aerial Yoga Studio, Yoga Therapie & Training*
> *mail schwerelosyoga.freiburg at gmail.com <schwerelosyoga.freiburg at gmail.com
> >*
> *mobile* (+49) 177 3454 952
> www.schwerelos-yoga.de
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
More information about the Coral-List
mailing list