Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia helps restore endangered corals

In 2012, the Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia, the Indonesian Scout Movement, started a one-year project aimed at restoring and protecting endangered coral reefs in East Java, Indonesia.

Coral reefs represent some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet, harboring around 25 percent of the marine species. However, the fast increase of human activities along the coast, the overfishing activities based on destructive techniques and the crescent pollution, not to mention the various climate changes, are contributing to an overall loss of more than 10 percent of these valuable ecosystems.

In order to help restore and prevent further damage to these priceless resources, the Scout divers, in partnership with the local fisherman community and youth, started a project called “Scouts Coral Restoration” with the backing of Messengers of Peace Support Fund.

So as to increase awareness and scientific knowledge about the underwater environment, the participants received dive training and participated in different coral reefs reconstruction and conservation workshops, supported by an expert from the Sepuluh November Institute of Technology.

In the end, all involved had the opportunity to take part in real underwater actions in Pasir Putih, East Java, to restore and plant about 40 blocks of 100 artificial coral reefs.