
Nature Seychelles recently participated in the Reef Futures symposium to showcase the successful restoration story of the Cousin Island Special Reserve.
Organised by the Coral Restoration Consortium, the event took place from December 9 to 13, 2024, at the Iberostar Paraiso Hotel and Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The Coral Restoration Consortium is a high-level community of practice that comprises scientists, managers, coral restoration practitioners, and educators dedicated to enabling coral reef ecosystems to adapt and survive the 21st century and beyond.
The event hosted 900 participants, and Nature Seychelles was making its second appearance at the world event and its first since its chief executive, Dr Nirmal Jivan Shah, was appointed to the Advisory Committee of the Coral Restoration Consortium.
The local organisation, represented by senior science and technical field officer, Dr Luca Saponari, delivered three presentations, showcased five scientific posters and conducted a workshop at the event. The presentations focused on the lessons learned from the Reef Rescuers coral restoration project and the latest scientific advancements. Additionally, it introduced its upcoming Assisted Recovery of Corals facility (ARC), set to become the largest land-based coral nursery in Africa to be operational in 2025.

The most important lesson learned and shared at the Reef Futures Symposium was that when stakeholders unite and commit to scientific long-term efforts, they can bring the planet back to life. Cousin Island serves as a shining example of this, said the organisation. “Restoration is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to be in it for the long term; otherwise, you’ll stumble and fall,” Dr Shah stated.
In the plenary session, the organisation shared its 14 years of experience in coral restoration, a field where it is considered as the leading regional organisation as well as its nearly three decades of land and small island restoration.
Its work in Seychelles and Africa, particularly their mentor-ship efforts, has set them apart. Seychelles’ coral restoration efforts are among the most advanced in Africa and the organisation was praised for its scientific approach and consistent restoration successes at the symposium.
Following the gathering, Nature Seychelles said it observed that restoration approaches differ based on location. For example, the Caribbean is developing advanced scientific methods to combat unique challenges like coral diseases decimating reefs. Meanwhile, countries like Saudi Arabia are implementing large-scale coral restoration projects in the Red Sea, among the most advanced globally.
The organisation’s participation was sponsored by the Adaptation Fund and the United Nations Development Programme.
Source: Seychelles Nation 8.1.2025