Coral Lines Project – Gili Lankanfushi
At Gili Lankanfushi marine biologists started a project to strengthen the regeneration of coral reefs.
The Gili Lankanfushi is committed to environmental protection since its foundation, one example being the Coral Lines Project: Started in 2014 by marine biologist Vaidotas Kirsys the project aims to strengthen the regeneration of the sensitive ecosystem that is the coral reef.
Therefore the project uses an efficient two step method. In a first step 50 coral fragments are being tied to a rope on the ocean ground of the lagoon. After being nurtured there for at least one year the grown corals are being transplanted to the house reef of the Gili Lankanfushi.
Although its major focus lies on the rehabilitation of the coral reef, research also plays an important role for the project: the marine biologists regularly monitor the progress of the corals and document the findings on the project’s own blog. Thereby similar projects have the possibility to learn from their experiences.
Guests of the Gili Lankanfushi can also take part in the Coral Lines Project by assisting the marine biologists in attaching corals to new ropes. Due to the ID number of each rope, guests can check the progress of “their” line in three month steps on the project blog.
“Coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse and yet most threatened ecosystems in the world. The best way to protect coral reefs globally is to remove the current threats; support conservation, take care when snorkeling and diving, and most importantly, reduce your carbon footprint in your daily life.”
