Saving the Great Barrier Reef: Innovative Coral Planting Techniques

It would be an understatement to say that Australia has faced significant challenges in recent years. The country experienced the hottest temperatures on record in 2019, leading to severe impacts on both agriculture and quality of life. Subsequently, 2020 began with devastating bushfires, which consumed 72,000 square miles (186,000 square kilometers) of the continent, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope off the coast of Cairns, Australia. Five tour companies have collaborated with scientists from the University of Technology Sydney to conduct innovative coral planting aimed at saving the Great Barrier Reef. This initiative owes much to John Edmondson, owner of Wavelength Reef Cruises, who developed a technique known as coral clipping intended to accelerate coral growth.

According to reports by Tropic Now, the coral clipping technique involves anchoring small pieces of diamond mesh aluminum onto which coral can grow. This flexible structure is specifically designed to endure natural wave activity and withstand encounters with marine life. Edmondson’s innovative idea garnered attention from marine biologists and geochemists, facilitating funding for an extensive study known as the Coral Nurture Program.

In February 2018, Wavelength Reef Cruises joined forces with Dave Suggett and Dr. Emma Camp from the University of Technology Sydney to create the first multi-species coral nursery at two sites frequently visited by Wavelength at Opal Reef. Over the course of the following year, the Coral Nurture Program set up 25 nursery frames and planted nearly 6,000 coral fragments.

Building on this early success, the program sought to expand its scope to larger areas of the Great Barrier Reef. By May 2019, four additional tour companies were selected to join the Coral Nurture Program based on their commitment to sustainability and long-term environmental conservation in specific reef locations.

For the previous 11 months, Wavelength Reef Cruises, Ocean Freedom, Sailaway, Quicksilver Cruises, and Passions of Paradise have provided their vessels and crew to assist scientists in various sections of the reef near Cairns. This collaboration has involved installing coral clips and monitoring coral growth, collectively establishing new coral nurseries, under the supervision of marine biologists. This ongoing initiative by tour companies significantly contributes to coral restoration efforts.

This approach results in mutual benefits. The coral receive the care of numerous dedicated underwater gardeners, while scientists gain access to vessels and expertise needed to reach challenging reef locations. Tour guide companies maintain a vested interest in the health of the reef that sustains their businesses, ultimately leading to a more vibrant ecosystem for tourists to enjoy when they return to Australia’s beautiful beaches.

If the project is successful and scalable, this model of restoration could be implemented at various locations across the extensive 1,400-mile length of the Great Barrier Reef. Such efforts represent a key element in the intricate process of saving one of the world’s largest coral systems, which has suffered severely due to climate change and pollution.

Recent assessments by scientists at James Cook University and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority reveal that extreme summer temperatures have taken a toll on Australia’s corals. This year marked the second-worst incidence of mass coral bleaching, surpassed only by the 2016 incident, which The Washington Post noted, resulted in the loss of half of all shallow-water corals in the northern Great Barrier Reef.

According to the UN Environment authority (UNEP), over half of the world’s reefs – which includes not only Australia’s Great Barrier Reef but also systems in Belize and the Bahamas – face threats from mass die-offs. For effective protection, global warming must be limited to 1.2°C, ensuring the survival of close to 50% of the planet’s coral. As ocean temperatures rise and acidify, the essential aquatic plants that corals rely on fail to thrive, disrupting vital symbiotic relationships and adversely affecting a variety of marine life reliant on reefs for sustenance.

While scientists and policymakers strive to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent further coral mortality, the Coral Nurture Program presents a vital instance of how the private sector can help safeguard existing coral populations. Although tour operators’ boats currently remain largely unused due to the pandemic, they now have the opportunity to address coral health challenges—one coral clip at a time.