Voluntary Marine Conservation

Did you know that half a million people rely on coral reefs for food and protection? They shield coastlines from storm surges and erosional processes, provide local communities with jobs and can generate income from responsible tourism and recreation. They can also be an amazing source for medical advancements, having the potential to ensure the continuing effectiveness of antibiotics and may hold the key towards effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

About 25% of marine life depends on healthy coral reefs. Covering less than 1% of the ocean floor, they support approximately a quarter of all known marine species. One of the most critical ecosystems on Earth, coral reefs have been and continue to be at risk from human behaviour. I am passionate about doing as much as I can to help protect these marine environments and in order to do this I am using part of my gap year to make a contribution to help them survive.

At Christmas time in 2021, I will be going to Belize for 8 weeks to do voluntery Marine Conservation. During this time I will be taking coral reef surveys, recording data from marine wildlife in the area and cleaning beaches. Belize has the 2nd largest Barrier Reef in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and I believe it is very important to keep it sustained and healthy. The first mass bleaching occurred in 1995, with an estimated mortality of 10% of coral colonies. To prevent this from happening again and seeing the corals go

from this to this

I want to play my part in keeping the coral alive.

I am saving very hard to fund this trip but need your help to find the final 25% (my target amount), without which it may be impossible for me to participate in this important conservation experience.