An allegiance to the sea can mean many things. For Oris, it means crusading for the cause of the Great Barrier Reef. There is a growing movement to support and restore this natural wonder. A Coral Crusaders campaign has been launched to expand an Australian-first program on the Great Barrier Reef that helps accelerate the recovery of high-value reefs damaged by coral bleaching. The not-for-profit Reef Restoration Foundation has established Australia’s first ocean-based coral nursery and successfully completed the inaugural cycle of harvesting, growing and planting coral at Fitzroy Island near Cairns. Here, corals harvested from reefs that survived two years of high-water temperatures are attached to underwater coral trees and grown for around eight months before being transplanted on a nearby degraded reef.
There is now a call to the public for joining in the cause and being a part of something that matters deeply. Your tax-deductible investment will combine with those of other Coral Crusaders to create a multiplier effect and allow ocean-based coral nurseries to be established on high-value reefs throughout the Great Barrier Reef. It could be $50 to Care for a Coral, $500 to Build a Branch or $10,000 to Tend a Tree, while some may consider investing in a new nursery, regenerating a reef, or making a smaller donation,” says Chief Executive Officer Stewart Christie.
Reef Restoration Foundation’s goal is to grow 25,000 new corals on the Great Barrier Reef by 2021 as part of their vision to accelerate the recovery of damaged high-value reefs and strengthen the Reef’s resilience. The Coral Crusaders initiative coincides with a NAB social media brand campaign launched this week to raise awareness of how NAB is “Working with the people who make a better Australia” through their community partnerships. Reef Restoration Foundation is a proud recipient of a NAB Foundation Sustainable Regions grant and part of the social media campaign at www.nab.com.au/workingtogether.
Become a Coral Crusader at www.reefrestorationfoundation.org and follow Reef Restoration Foundation on its journey at www.facebook.com/reefrestorationfoundation/ and www.instagram.com/reef_restoration_foundation.
Coral trees are sponsored by Oris watches, Cairns education tour company Small World Journeys, Japanese travel agency JTB and marine tourism consultant Gempearl.