If you've visited Tahiti with Windstar in the past few years, you're probably aware of our partnership with Coral Gardeners, a non-profit organization based in Moorea. The organization's mission is focused on revolutionizing ocean conservation and creating a global movement to protect coral reefs.
Since Windstar began the partnership with an initial corporate donation in 2022, the company and its guests have adopted 3,660 corals as of May 2024. Guests on all Tahiti-based cruises can also donate through a $35 donation. The donation program has since expanded to all ships in the Windstar fleet.
On the Star Breeze cruise in February, I had the opportunity to sit down with Coral Gardeners' Director of Science and Reforestation, Hannah Stewart. (Before joining the organization, she worked as a developer/director at the University of California, Berkeley. Natives live in Moorea year-round). In our conversation, she talked about how the non-profit is growing and expanding its scope, and why the health of corals is so important in French Polynesia and everywhere else in the world.
As of December 2023, Coral Gardeners said it had planted 100,870 corals across 12,494 square meters of reef. 11 coral reefs have been restored with 45 species of coral.
Q: Hannah, can you give us some background on how Coral Gardeners came to be?
A: Titouan Bernicot is our founder. His parents ran a pearl farm and he grew up in the water. On the water, water was and still is his life. One day he went surfing and when he looked down he saw that the coral had bleached white. This was the first time he noticed this, and he realized that the ocean where he was was in trouble. He started with a plan to save the coral reefs he knew. But the problem was bigger than their home reef. So in 2017, at the age of 16, he started Coral Gardeners.
Q: What exactly do Coral Gardeners do?
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A: The core of our work is centered around coral reef restoration. Using the latest technology and methods, our team of gardeners grow and plant resilient corals to revive reef ecosystems. Our goal is to scale restoration globally and empower communities to become coral gardeners as part of a green economy.
Our efforts have three pillars: The first is, of course, coral reef restoration, but we can't do that without awareness. So that's our second pillar. Finally, innovation is a core component and inspiration for creating CG Lab, which uses technology, science, computing (AI), and statistics to support our mission. CG Labs is really cool. If I can imagine it, they can make it.
Q: Coral Gardeners is working on coral reef restoration in waters beyond Moorea and the rest of French Polynesia. Tell us more about your expansion efforts.
A: First, it is important to note how important Moorea and French Polynesia are to us. We employ local people here. At the heart of what we do is providing local people with jobs that protect their own backyards. We have trained more than 7,000 people locally, from school children who have become young coral gardeners, to fishermen and government officials.
And yes, it is. We are expanding. We opened our first international branch in Fiji, on the island of Malolo, part of the Polynesian Triangle. It is home to the third largest coral reef in the world. There, we planted three newly constructed coral reefs with approximately 11,000 corals collected from the wild for thermal resilience and biodiversity, with a focus on Acropora and Pocillopora, similar to our strategy in French Polynesia. It also allowed the crew to move as much of the coral they rescued from the seafloor as possible to replant the reef area and give it a better chance of becoming self-reliant.
The next location is Thailand. Coral Gardeners is working with local communities to train future gardeners who will restore coral reefs previously damaged in some areas by dynamite fishing.
Q: How can Windstar travelers get more involved?
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A: Stay tuned for our latest partnership with Windstar. Star Breeze is preparing to offer two different experiences when you visit Moorea. One is a more introductory tour, where you will visit our headquarters where we will explain the basics of coral reef restoration and look after our garden nursery in Paopao Bay. Snorkeling takes you to floating coral tree nurseries just a few meters below the surface.
For a more immersive experience, you can travel to the Sea Garden, located in Tiaia's largest nursery.
Onboard Tahiti itineraries feature an engaging speaker series when Star Breeze calls in Moorea. Informative lectures by members of the Coral Gardeners team raise awareness and educate visitors about coral reef conservation. The newly created videos and brochures are available to all customers and travel agencies worldwide.
Plus, the opportunity to adopt coral isn't limited to those traveling to French Polynesia aboard Starbreeze. Every ship in Windstar offers an opportunity.