On the island of Roatán, off the coast of Honduras, we are restoring coral reefs at the heart of the Caribbean Sea, one of the most threatened marine regions on the planet.

Caribbean reefs are among the most affected in the world. Repeated bleaching events, pollution, overfishing, coastal development, in just a few decades, the Caribbean has lost more than 50% of its corals. What remains is fragile, precious, and deserves every effort to protect it.

In partnership with Caribbean Reef Guardians, a local organisation deeply rooted in Roatán’s marine life, we have developed an approach adapted to the realities of this ecosystem.

Here, our restoration method is different. Rather than harvesting fragments from healthy colonies which further weakens an already stressed reef, we collect broken but still living corals, victims of storms or natural disturbances. These fragments, which would be lost without intervention, are quickly attached to suspended coral nurseries. We plant on rope, and then we don’t touch them again. Less manipulation, less stress for the coral.

This technique has an additional advantage: it allows us to work with species that grow poorly on our usual structures. Slower-growing, more fragile species but just as essential to reef biodiversity. By preserving them in nurseries, we give them a chance to survive that they would not otherwise have.

These reefs are more than underwater landscapes. They shelter exceptional biodiversity, protect coastlines and sustain entire communities that have depended on them for generations.