Coral Reef Rehabilitation
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.
Rehabilitating coral reefs via scuba diving is a viable option, but it too often limits the scope of volunteers to foreigners, since the costs of scuba diving certification and equipment amounts to several months of average income in the Philippines.
The greenhouse gas emissions from the tourism industry being amongst the main causes of the rising temperature of the sea - that directly contribute to the disappearance of coral reefs – relying on tourism to rehabilitate coral reefs is untenable.
By combining freediving and coral reef rehabilitation, we are therefore striving to achieve greater community outreach and increased sustainability compared to similar methodologies focusing on scuba diving.
After taking part in a similar campaign for the environmental organization Ocean Quest Global - which specializes in coral reef rehabilitation using an all-natural methodology - the founding members of Apnea Green settled in the Philippines and conducted their first training with members of local communities in March 2019.
At the moment, any Filipino freediver, or confident snorkeler, willing to do so is entitled to receiving free training in Panglao Island through our partners at Conservation Freedivers Bohol. Interested individuals are encouraged to reach us by email at info@apneagreen.org
*our last training of members of local communities happened mi-March 2020 in Panglao Island, and was conducted with a group of dive/tourist guides. The program is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 situation and will resume once the enhanced community measures are lifted.
