The importance of healthy coral reefs to their surrounding communities cannot be understated, they not only provide them with food and revenue (through fisheries and tourism), but also stave off coastal erosion, thereby safeguarding land property from damage and reducing the risk of population displacement.

Coral reefs are important and unique ecosystems that are self-sustaining and provide vital support for marine life. They play a crucial role in the tropical marine environment through their contribution to the food chain, their reef building capacity and their important role in the carbon cycle.

One way to counteract and save what is left of this invaluable ecosystem is to rehabilitate coral reefs through coral propagation. Prior to this program, coral rehabilitation was limited to experts only and marine biologists. However, Marine Conservation holds the vision that, with training, everyone can take part in coral reef rehabilitation.

Artificial reefs of man-made structure cannot achieve sustainability, as they are not food producers for reef organisms and cannot duplicate the roles of a coral reef in the marine ecosystem. A lot of marine conservation projects do more damage than good and abandoned artificial reefs too often contribute to polluting our oceans.

Thus, coral reef rehabilitation needs to be happening in the most natural way possible. By rehabilitating coral reefs we can create a naturally growing habitat that is self-sustaining for the reefs inhabitants as well as becoming a source of food and shelter. This in turn will continue to support the livelihood of local communities who depend on it.