RRFB hosted a week-long coral restoration workshop in Bonaire, bringing together teams from Curaçao, Aruba, and Saba. The workshop focused on sharing techniques, aligning priorities, and building regional capacity for restoration. The teams led presentations and field sessions, working together to improve techniques like micro-fragmentation, fire coral propagation, and photogrammetry analysis.
10 April 2025
(Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean) — Reef Renewal Bonaire (RRFB) hosted a week-long coral restoration workshop from March 31 to April 4, 2025, bringing together restoration practitioners from across the Dutch Caribbean. Teams from Reef Renewal Curaçao, Saba Conservation Foundation, and ScubbleBubbles Foundation (Aruba) joined RRFB in Bonaire for a packed week of hands-on training, presentations, and cross-island collaboration.
Each day featured formal presentations and field-based sessions focused on a variety of techniques, including coral micro-fragmentation, fire coral propagation, photogrammetry, and education. Participants shared lessons learned from restoration efforts on their islands, explored new ideas, and worked side-by-side on RRFB’s active restoration sites.
“Coral restoration is constantly evolving, and it’s essential that we evolve with it. By bringing together teams from across the region, we’re not only sharing knowledge—we’re strengthening each other’s capacity to respond to the challenges our reefs are facing”
– Ernst Noyons, RRFB Chief Operating Officer
This workshop marks a key step in RRFB’s long-term vision to foster greater collaboration across the Caribbean. By connecting teams with shared goals and challenges, RRFB is working to build a more unified approach to reef restoration—one that leverages local expertise while responding to shared environmental threats, such as coral bleaching and disease.
RRFB plans to continue growing their regional network through future workshops, field exchanges, and joint research initiatives. By strengthening partnerships across islands, RRFB hopes to accelerate the efficacy and collective impact of coral restoration throughout the Caribbean.
About Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire
Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire is a non-profit organization focused on the protection and restoration of Bonaire’s biodiverse coral reefs. In collaboration with research partners and regional practitioners, RRFB uses researched-based techniques to increase the abundance and genetic diversity of vulnerable coral populations in Bonaire. Today, with the help of 16 partner dive operators around the island and a dedicated team of volunteers, RRFB has outplanted over 70,000 corals back to the reef, covering an area of over 13,000 square meters.
To learn how to get involved or lend support, please visit www.reefrenewalbonaire.org or email info@reefrenewalbonaire.org
Photos and Captions
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