Local community involvement in coral reefs reforestation in the Barù Peninsula, Colombian Caribbean National Park.

Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on the planet, yet the world has lost half of its coral reefs in the past 30 years.

Coral reefs are known to need stable conditions for them to survive. In the Barú Peninsula, this marine ecosystem has been tremendously affected and degraded by natural and anthropic factors. Moreover, these coral reefs have lost their resilience capacity, placing them as priority areas to be assisted by restoration programs.

In this project, Malpelo Foundation wants to perform a restoration program that will train local fishermen from the Barú Peninsula in coral reef restoration techniques and ecotourism activities to place them as active participants, and reduce the negative anthropic impact they cause on coral reefs, due to bad fishing practices.

To generate alternative source of income for fishermen, a program is being developed in collaboration with an ecohotel in the area of study. In this sense, local fishermen will be hired as certified ecotourism guides, giving them a sustainable job and the opportunity to participate in the restoration program, which is expected to raise not only their environmental awareness, but also the local community and tourists’.