Australia’s tourism industry has suffered two major blows this year, first the devastating bush-fires and now the Covid-19 pandemic. However, tour companies that would usually be taking tourists on tours of the Australian Coral Reef have been using this time to help the environment. These are true ecological heroes!
The Australian Great Barrier coral reef is the largest coral reef in the world, sitting on sea-bed off the east coast of Australia it is comprised of billions of living sea coral, small islands and the animals which make the coral home. In recent times, however, pollution, global-warming (which leaves the reef ‘bleached’), as well as, harm from shipping has damaged this wonder of the natural world. In total it is made up of over 2,900 individual coral reefs and 900 islands.
A post shared by Coral Nurture Team (@coralnurtureprogram) on
‘Passions-of-Paradise’ a coral reef tour company is one firm using the time without tourists to rejuvenate the reef. They have donated an advanced catamaran, fuel and volunteers to the ‘Coral Nurture Program’ which is dedicated to the preservation and defence of the reef.
Scott Garden, CEO of Passions-of-Paradise said:
“We have been assisting Dr. David Suggett’s team from the University of Technology Sydney who is conducting reef resilience research at one of our 26 reef sites … I have been working with Passions of Paradise Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Russell Hosp at the site most weeks recording data for the project and establishing a coral nursery.”
A post shared by Passions Of Paradise (@passionsofparadise) on
Garden believes that as many as 1,000 pieces of coral have already been planted in the short time the project has been operating – which is a fantastic achievement. They are also using state of the art technology to reattach broken pieces of coral to the reef using so called ‘coral-clips’, building coral nurseries and eradicating ‘Crown-of-Reefs’ starfish which damage the coral. But Passions-of-Paradise is not the only tour company helping out, a total of five companies have promised to use this opportunity for eco-defence, these are Passions of Paradise, Wavelength, Ocean Freedom, Sailaway, and Quicksilver Cruises.
The coral tour companies realise that if the coral reef was to disappear, it would spell the end of their once lucrative businesses, so they also have a vested interest in keeping these natural wonders preserved, though of course, we are certain that they care for the reefs themselves and not simply their own businesses. After all, no one who works with the reef everyday could fail to fall in love with its majestic beauty. It is estimated that the reef brings in billions of tourist dollars each year to the Australian economy, in particular the economy of North Queensland off which the reef lies.
A post shared by Explore Routes (@exploreroutes) on
The Coral Nurture Program project coordinator and PhD student Lorna Howlett explained:
“The Coral Nurture Program aims to give operators yet another stewardship activity they can do at their reef sites in addition to Crown-of-Thorns eradication and the Eye on Reef monitoring program … the 12-month project finishes next month, however, the operators can continue to operate the nurseries and outplant the corals.”
We hope the companies continue their good work – what great news!
COMMENTS