Saba has an exciting new initiative to restore its coral reefs. This new project, running from 2024 to 2026, will focus on reviving key species in the island’s under­water ecosystems.

With a collaborative team from Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF) and Van Hall Larenstein (VHL) Uni­versity of Applied Sciences, the project aims to restore both corals and sea urchins.

This initiative is centred around coral restoration, specifically reviving two es­sential coral species — stag-horn coral (Acropora cer­vicornis) and elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). By mapping parent colonies and using a technique known as coral gardening, SCF will create and maintain coral nurseries. These corals will eventually be out-planted at key reef sites around Saba to not only expand the number of coral colonies, but also provide essential fish habi­tat. The project focusses on installing coral nurseries, training staff with the newest techniques and starting with the restoration of key reef sites.

It is not just corals getting a makeover — this project also shines a spotlight on the essential role of graz­ers, particularly sea urchins. VHL is leading the charge on cultivating and restocking two key sea urchin species — West Indian sea egg (Tripneustes) and long-spined sea urchin (Diadema) — known for their ability to keep algae in check. By removing algae, which are important compet­itors of corals, they help the coral to thrive. By restoring these “reef cleaners”, Saba’s project will give corals the breathing room they need to grow, setting the stage for a healthier, more balanced marine ecosystem.

The project will be funded as part of the Dutch govern­ment’s Nature and Environ­ment Policy Plan (NEPP) 2020-2030 for the Carib­bean Netherlands, a com­prehensive initiative aimed at conserving and restoring the unique natural environ­ments of the Dutch Carib­bean islands, including Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire. This project is aiming for big milestones: building and maintaining coral nurseries, the expansion of urchin culti­vation facilities, and the cre­ation of a dedicated research centre.

The project hopes to ramp up coral and grazer restora­tion by 2026, with the ulti­mate goal of extending these efforts across the Dutch Car­ibbean. By linking local ini­tiatives to broader regional goals, Saba’s restoration pro­ject promises to have a last­ing impact on both the envi­ronment and the community.

The Dutch Caribbean Na­ture Alliance (DCNA) sup­ports (science) communi­cation and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature-related scien­tific information more widely available through, amongst others, the Dutch Caribbean

Biodiversity Database, DC­NAs news platform BioNews and through the press. This article contains the results from several (scientific) pro­jects, but the projects them­selves are not DCNA pro­jects.

The Daily Herald.