Coral Reef Restoration Volunteer

According to the IUCN list corals, and thus coral reefs, are in severe decline. Due to many man-made threats such as global warming and the water temperature rising every day, the world’s coral reefs are facing irreparable destruction such as coral bleaching or overfishing.

This is one of the reasons why 2018 has been declared as the International Year of the Reef. Coral reef conservation is part of the larger field of marine conservation, and it is just as important. And the best part is that you don’t have to be a scientist to have a positive impact on coral reefs! As a marine conservation volunteer, you can be active in the important fight against the destruction of the world’s coral reefs!

As a prospective coral reef conservation volunteer, this is something that you need to have a good understanding about. Unfortunately, coral reefs across the globe find themselves faced with a multitude of threats. The following factors certainly play a big part in putting the survival of coral reefs worldwide at risk:

• Pollution that originates on land
• Physical damage or destruction
• Climate change/ global warming
• Illegal or unsustainable fishing (Overfishing)
• Careless tourism
• Sedimentation
• Coral harvesting or mining

Once these fish become extinct, this has a life-threatening impact on coral reefs as well. As a logical consequence, the death of coral reefs causes even more marine life species to die. As was already mentioned, climate change is also having a huge impact on coral reefs and could lead to disastrous consequences. This is true for the following reasons:

• An increase in sea-surface temperatures
• Rising sea levels
• Changed precipitation patterns
• Changed currents
• Changed storm intensity

As pretty much all of the threats are man-made, the conservation efforts us humans have to take are quite simple:

• controlled fishing for a healthy fish community
• creating marine protected areas
• coral reef restoration
• keeping our oceans clean

Given that some types of corals only grow a little over 0.1 inches per year, it is hard to undo the damages once they have been done. Hence, being proactive and doing what you can as a coral reef conservation volunteer now is all the more important. If you want your children to be able to take a PADI scuba diving class and enjoy the stunning beauty of the ocean and its coral reefs in the future, the time to sign up for this line of volunteering work is now.

Your volunteering work at a coral reef conservation project could take you to many corners of this earth. From the coast of Africa to Australia and the tropical island Hawaii, there are coral reefs that are in danger of being completely destroyed all over the world. Perhaps you would like to know that there are about 800 different species of corals that build reefs, which have been identified to this day. Most of these corals are found both in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, which is why most coral reef conservation volunteers find themselves traveling to these regions.

There are many different ways to protect coral reefs and every project supports these marine conservation efforts differently. Depending on what you are looking for, this introduction to the tasks and benefits of coral reef volunteers will be helpful for you to find the right program. Whether you want to dive as much as possible or educate locals and tourists on ways to protect coral reefs and the importance of their conservation, there will be a volunteering program that matches your expectations and skill set.

Before you embark on your divers journey as a coral reef conservation volunteer, we would like to tell you more about the tasks that you can expect to be completed in this line of voluntary work. Going on a scuba dive with tourists in order to raise funds for your coral reef conservation program or educate the local population as well as tourists and fellow divers on what they can do to help to protect coral reef diversity - you are not going to get bored anytime soon. Other tasks you’ll encounter are:

• Coral, lagoon, and fish monitoring
• Diving to collect data
• Mangrove and beach cleaning
• Data input and other office tasks

Be it indoors or outdoors, your time at a coral reef conservation project will be incredibly rewarding. After all, being a coral reef conservation volunteer will probably teach you some of the following skills:

• Develop greater marine-based knowledge
• Cultivate a better understanding of the marine ecosystem
• Learn new research methods
• Improve your social skills

A Once in a Lifetime Experience

To dive into the colorful world of a healthy coral reef is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never forget. That alone is reason enough for many people to pack their bags and volunteer to protect coral reefs around the world.

Great on Your Resume

If you are interested in studying biology, a volunteer program working for coral reef conservation efforts will be a great fit. You will gain hands-on experience and get a first insight into the daily work of trained researchers and biologists, which will certainly come in handy at a later point in your career. Being able to list this kind of work experience on your CV is another bonus, even if you are not planning on pursuing a career in this field. It shows that you are capable of physically hard and hands-on work and that you are motivated to volunteer your free-time to a meaningful cause.

Expand Your Horizons

Depending on where you choose to volunteer, you might get to refine your language skills whilst working on site as the main language spoken is English. Immersing yourself in a foreign culture and living abroad will definitely make you grow as a person and give you a different perspective.

Have Fun!

And let’s not forget that the time you spend volunteering at a coral reef conservation project will also be incredibly fun! You will get to enjoy all the perks of living so close to the ocean, like diving and seeing marine life from up close, island hoping, enjoying the beach every day and facing new challenges.

Meet Other Like-minded People

The best part is that you will be surrounded by like-minded volunteers that share your passion for marine conservation. After working and living together for a while, these people might even become your close friends!