Corales de Paz is a non-governmental organisation that facilitates an on-going citizen science Reef Check program in Colombia. The primary goal is to unite the diving tourism industry, local fishermen and the scientific community, to educate participants and find a viable method of continued evaluation of the tropical coral reef.
In 2014, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published a report on The status and trends of Caribbean coral reefs from 1970 to 2012. It found that much of the Caribbean’s coral reefs could vanish in the next 20 years.
This is the most detailed and comprehensive study of its kind published to date in this region. The study was the result of the work of 90 experts over the course of three years. It contains the analysis of more than 35,000 surveys conducted at 90 Caribbean locations since 1970, including studies of corals, seaweeds, grazing sea urchins and fish. Now, five years on from this report, it is imperative that consistent accurate data is recorded in this region to assess the trends.
Other large scale projects have aided the monitoring of coral in this region. Below is a section from the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project carried out by the Institute for Marine Remote Sensing at the University of South Florida, funded by the Oceanography Program of NASA to provide an exhaustive worldwide inventory of coral reefs using high-resolution satellite imagery. The Landsat 7 images acquired between 1999 and 2002, mapped and estimated the extent of shallow coral reef ecosystems in the main coral reef provinces. A more detailed map is set to be made following the launch of Landsat 9 in 2020 – but it wont yet replace the importance of regular data collection from eyes on the ground and under the water.
View the interactive map.
In April 2017, Corales de Paz organised a citizen science event in Colombia called Reef Check Tayrona. The purpose of the event was to survey the health of the local coral reefs, located by Tayrona National Park on the north coast of Colombia. More than 60 citizens conducted 248 dives in training for the largest citizen science event of this type conducted in Colombia.
Corales de Paz assists national institutions, so that together they can increase the scale and frequency of monitoring the health of the threatened ecosystem. In Colombia it is increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain coral monitoring systems, putting at risk the implementation of adequate strategies for the conservation and management of the coral. For this reason the NGO employed the format of the USA based Reef Check Foundation.
Reef Check has volunteer teams in more than 90 countries and territories that work to protect coral reefs through education, research and conservation. Every year, Reef Check trains thousands of citizen scientist divers who volunteer to survey the health of coral reefs around the world. The results are used to improve the management of these critically important natural resources. The programs provide ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions to save reefs, by creating partnerships among community volunteers, government agencies, businesses, universities and other nonprofits. The Reef Check EcoDiver training program aims to increase the technical capacity and human resources for coral reevaluation and monitoring.
The Reef Check Tayrona event was such a success that Corales de Paz have continued the program.
How To Get Involved
Expeditions and courses are currently available in four locations in Colombia: Providencia, San Andres, Santa Marta and Isla Fuerte.
More information and course date announcements
Further Information
Corales de Paz is an NGO set up to support marine conservation and restoration projects in Colombia. Following a participatory approach, Corales de Paz promotes the effective conservation of fishing, tourism and coastal protection services provided by coral reefs. The NGO leads the implementation of large-scale, socio-ecological restoration as a complementary tool for the conservation and rehabilitation of coral reefs. The team organise diving programs that facilitate the collection of scientific data for policy and decision making related to the conservation of marine ecosystems. It also offers opportunities for coral reef users to take action against the degradation of reefs, to strengthen the management of reefs and to practice responsible tourism.
www.coralesdepaz.org
I: @coralesdepaz T: @coralesdepaz FB: /coralesdepaz
The Reef Check Foundation, set up in 1996, has its headquarters in Los Angeles, USA, and volunteer teams in more than 90 countries and territories. Reef Check works to protect coral reefs through education, research and conservation.
www.reefcheck.org
I: @reefcheckfoundation T: @reefcheck FB: /reefcheckfoundation YT: /reefcheckfoundation
Main feature image shows a diver collecting data for Reef Check San Andrés and Povidence Islands ©Corales de Paz
very clear and good article easy to understand. Thank you