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Coral Courses That Change Minds: Education for Reef Recovery

Coral Courses That Change Minds: Education for Reef Recovery

Education isn’t just a pillar of conservation, it’s the spark that ignites lifelong ocean guardians. On Gili Air, Indo Coral Conservation runs discover coral reef programs designed to turn curiosity into knowledge.

🔍 Why Teach Coral Restoration?

The threats facing coral reefs are global, but solutions start locally. Plastic pollution, overfishing, and warming seas all chip away at reef resilience. Our mission is to equip people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to respond meaningfully.

We believe the best way to teach is through doing. That’s why our Marine Ecology & Coral Restoration internship blends science instruction with field-based training. No sterile classrooms, just real-world restoration and salty hands.

🧪 What the Course Covers

The course lasts one or two week each and unfolds in different dynamic stages such as:

  • Coral Biology & Reef Ecology: Participants learn what makes coral tick, from symbiosis and species identification to threats like disease and bleaching.
  • Restoration Techniques: We teach microfragmentation, coral mounting, and nursery maintenance. Trainees work directly on the coral farm using real tools and live specimens.
  • Citizen Science & Impact: Students monitor growth, log data, and discuss how local action contributes to global conservation.

Whether you’re a marine biology student, traveler, or curious local, our sessions are tailored to fit all level of interests.

🪸 Coral Microfragmentation: Our Signature Method

The highlight of the course is learning microfragmentation, a technique that accelerates coral regrowth. It involves carefully slicing healthy coral colonies into tiny pieces, which then heal and multiply faster than they would in nature.

Participants practice this process under our marine biologist guidance, gaining understanding how coral physiology responds to restoration. Watching a cut fragment begin to fuse and thrive is nothing short of magical.

🌱 Learning That Lasts

Many of our alumni say this course reshaped how they see the ocean. Beyond technical skills, participants leave with deeper empathy for marine ecosystems and a sharpened sense of personal responsibility.

📍 Local Roots, Global Reach

We’re proud to welcome learners from every corner of the globe, but we’re equally committed to our local community.

This cross-pollination of knowledge strengthens conservation efforts island-wide. It ensures that learning doesn’t end when the course does, it gets passed down, applied, and expanded every day.

Our instructors are marine biologists who bring passion and patience to each session. You won’t just learn what to do, you’ll understand why it matters.

🚀 How to Join

Signing up is simple. Join one of our courses.

🔗 Useful Links

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What is BRUV – Baited Remote Underwater Video method?

A camera is placed on the seafloor with bait positioned in front. It records fish that come to investigate over a set time. Footage is reviewed later to identify species and behavior. It’s a passive method like setting a camera trap for marine life.

In short: BRUV = film fish attracted to bait, then analyze the video later.

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What is UVC – Underwater Visual Census method?

Divers swim along a transect line and visually record all fish seen within a defined area. They note species, size, and numbers during the dive. It’s a live fish count. Like taking attendance in a moving classroom.

In short: UVC = spot and count fish by eye while swimming the transect.

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What is Belt Transect method?

A measuring tape is laid out along the reef. In our case divers count all visible invertebrates (e.g. sea cucumbers, starfish) within a set belt width usually 1 or 2 meters. They record species and numbers while swimming slowly along the line. It’s a wide-area visual count like sweeping a corridor for invertebrates.

In short: Belt = count all invertebrates within a set zone along the tape.

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What is 3D Coral Monitoring method?

Divers take multiple photos of coral structures from different angles. Photos are processed using software to build a 3D model of the coral. This model shows shape, size, and changes over time. It’s like creating a digital twin of the coral to track its growth.

In short: 3D = capture coral from all sides, then build a model to monitor changes.

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What is UPT – Underwater Photo Transect method?

A measuring tape is also laid out along the reef. Instead of recording points manually, divers take overlapping photos along the line. These images are later analyzed on a computer to assess coverage and species. It’s a visual capture method like scanning the reef with a camera for later analysis.

In short: UPT = record the whole transect with photos, then analyze later.

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What is PIT – Point Intercept Transect method?

A measuring tape is laid out along the reef. Divers record what’s directly under specific points at fixed intervals (e.g. every 10 cm). It’s a manual, visual sampling method. Like checking what’s beneath each tick mark on a ruler. Data is written down underwater, point by point.

In short: PIT = record what’s under each point by eye, underwater.