A Global Program for Sustainable Tropical Marine Conservation
Across the oceans, The Nature Conservancy is promoting a worldwide effort to conserve coral reefs and the rich diversity of life in tropical waters. By helping create networks of ecologically connected protected areas that are resilient in the face of growing local and global stresses, we can ensure the survival and long-term viability of Earth's invaluable coral reefs.
Coral reefs are among the greatest storehouses of biodiversity on Earth, providing food and income that sustains hundreds of millions of people. However, vast changes in the seas are destroying coral reefs at an unprecedented rate and scale. According to experts, 70 percent of the world's coral reefs may be lost by 2050.
Burgeoning human populations, destructive fishing, coastal development, sedimentation and pollution are the primary areas of human impact, and the threats that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have traditionally been designed to address. While progress is being made at specific sites, the extensive effects of coral bleaching, marine diseases and rising sea levels linked to global warming are compounding these local threats. Without the tools to defend against impending change, marine managers are struggling to safeguard hard-won conservation gains.
A vision of hope
Drawing on input from the world's experts on coral reefs, The Nature Conservancy has created a vision for tropical marine conservation that enhances the prospect of survival for coral reefs. This vision, Transforming Coral Reef Conservation, will catalyze efforts to:
- Expand the area of coral reef and related habitats that is protected;
- Improve the effectiveness and financial security of tropical MPAs; and
- Build the principles of resilience into MPA design and management.
Setting direction through science
The Nature Conservancy and our partners have looked for patterns in the seas that bolster the ability of coral reefs and other tropical marine life to survive. Some reef areas do not bleach when others do, and some corals recover quickly when others die. Stocks of many reef fishes are replenished through spawning aggregations, large and predictable gatherings of reproducing fish. Identifying and protecting these important areas -- and connecting them with others more vulnerable to local and global threats -- is key. The Conservancy is working to improve our understanding of the natural factors and dynamics that are the foundation for creating resilient MPA networks around the world.
Applying innovative tools and approaches
While additional research will provide new insights, our current understanding can be applied now to begin building resilient MPA networks. Together with leading coral reef organizations worldwide, The Nature Conservancy has developed a Reef Resilience Tool Kit to introduce these principles into the planning and design of Marine Protected Areas.
By enhancing the tools that MPA managers have at their disposal, making training and resources available so these tools can be applied, and reaching out to potential users around the world, we are fostering support and capacity for a global coral reef conservation program.
In partnership with others, The Nature Conservancy is applying resilience principles to marine ecoregional assessments and priority-setting processes in the Caribbean, Western Pacific and Indonesia. This work will lead to the selection and design of Marine Protected Area networks. And in several areas of high coral reef biodiversity, including Palau, Indonesia's Banda and Flores Seas, Papua New Guinea, and the Meso-American Reef, the Conservancy is taking direct action to help develop networks of MPAs that realize the vision of mutually replenishing and naturally resilient systems.
Creating a common ground
For this global vision to take hold, a coordinated effort among coral reef stakeholders is needed. The Nature Conservancy and its partners are promoting this effort by forging alliances with local communities, other nongovernmental organizations, government officials, the private sector and scientists around the world.
Working closely with the World Commission on Protected Areas, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, and through the Convention on Biological Diversity and other organizations, the Conservancy is also building support for policies that reduce threats to coral biodiversity and include conservation as a critical consideration in development plans.
Building lasting results
Grounded in science, innovative in approach and collaborative in nature, Transforming Coral Reef Conservation reveals a vision for the protection of reefs worldwide. Through a coordinated global approach, we can ensure our efforts truly make a difference for the incredible diversity of tropical marine life through this century and beyond.
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Comments: 10
got a new project from world bank and my province is one of the recipient. and i as went to the project sites one of the pressing concerns is on coastal management. but dont have that much knowledge and i believe the province dont have that much knowledge either.
may i ask what was the toll kit about? you might help me during our planning stage. thanks again
we can't win
Is the Sarge correct, Jonathon?
The good news: a simple disinfection will prevent this. A 5% bleach solution or a 7% Lysol solution will kill all the bacteria.
Thanks for asking this question -- I think there's a lot of hope and reason to be hopeful (if not blindly optimistic) about the future of coral reefs! :)
I cannot understand the mentality of people who live on islands where large items - ships, trucks, buses, cars - are hard to dispose off and no one wants to step on the toes of the few who protest using them in an intelligent way