In March 2024, Coral Restoration Foundation™ began the first of a series of Learning Exchanges with the Coral Reef Advisory Group of American Samoa. Jessica Levy, our Director of Restoration Strategy, embarked on an inaugural visit to American Samoa to collaborate with CRAG, marking the project's "kick off" and creating an invaluable opportunity to meet local partners and deepen our understanding of the coral restoration landscape, capacity, and interests in the region.
Coral Restoration Foundation ™ (CRF™) was awarded funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to support a targeted coral restoration training and capacity building initiative in American Samoa. Financial support was sourced from Aramco Services Company and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. This project is designed to benefit community and management agencies in American Samoa through a partnership with the Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG).
CRAG is a coordinating entity composed of seven organizations in American Samoa, including the American Samoa Community College, American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, Department of Commerce, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service.
The NFWF funding is allocated towards facilitating a series of learning exchanges between CRF™ and CRAG. These exchanges are structured to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals involved in coral restoration. The program encompasses several key activities:
Sending Individuals from American Samoa to Florida: This component of the program allows for participants from American Samoa to gain hands-on experience in coral restoration techniques that CRF™ has refined over the years. The aim is to provide an immersive learning environment that can be adapted to the specific needs of coral restoration efforts in American Samoa.
CRF™ Staff Visits to American Samoa: CRF™ staff will visit American Samoa to assist with location-specific challenges in coral restoration. These visits are also opportunities for CRF™ staff to learn from the unique environmental conditions and coral species in American Samoa, enriching their own restoration practices.
Attendance at Reef Futures 2024: The funding supports participation in the Reef Futures 2024 conference, scheduled for December in Mexico. This event is an important platform for sharing knowledge and innovations in coral restoration, further enhancing the learning opportunities for all parties involved.
Facilitating Exchanges with Other Pacific Islands: A significant portion of the funding is aimed at increasing exchange opportunities with coral restoration practitioners in places like the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and other Pacific Islands. These exchanges are vital for sharing experiences, challenges, and solutions across different coral restoration projects.
This initial visit was instrumental in understanding the local coral restoration landscape, assessing capacity, and gauging interest among community and management agencies in American Samoa.
Through the strategic use of NFWF funding, the CRF™ - CRAG collaboration is focused on building sustainable and adaptable coral restoration approaches. By emphasizing hands-on learning experiences and knowledge exchange, the initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness of coral restoration efforts in American Samoa, leveraging collective expertise to address the challenges facing coral reefs.
CRF™ Learning Exchanges demonstrate the impact of shared knowledge in coral reef restoration, and we are eager to continue these types of exchanges to protect coral ecosystems worldwide.
As we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every person who has contributed their support and expertise to CRF™ on this inaugural trip to American Samoa, we look toward further collaboration with CRAG that promises to enrich our joint efforts in safeguarding coral ecosystems for future generations.