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Reef Restoration Papua Explorers Foundation
Raja Ampat SEA Centre – Conservation and Community SupportRaja Ampat SEA Centre is a conservation initiative established by Papua Explorers Eco Resort. Based at the resort, Raja Ampat SEA Centre is an NGO dedicated to conserving Raja Ampat’s marine life through Science, Education & Awareness (SEA). We also work with collaborating scientists and local community members. Therefore SEA Centre serves as a platform to conduct conservation work in Raja Ampat. Further, we conduct valuable scientific research into the marine ecology and environment in the region.
At a local level, SEA Centre’s aim is to educate and empower both current and future generations. Accordingly, we seek to help them understand and preserve the extensive reef systems within the Raja Ampat region. Community livelihoods depend on these and are intrinsically linked. On a broader scale, we aim to connect national and international communities with the incredible marine life in Raja Ampat; the most marine biodiverse place on earth and the cradle of marine life.
We provide hands-on involvement in our projects, and both formal and informal education. By doing so, we hope that each and every person we touch goes forward to be an ambassador for the pristine, unique and irreplaceable reefs of Raja Ampat.
For example, our Coral Garden project is aiming to evaluate and optimize the current (and remarkable) recovery potential of Raja Ampat’s reefs. In this project, our local coral gardeners are transplanting reef fragments onto structures especially built for that purpose. The newly planted corals are growing with a great success rate. Therefore, we started to replicate the project at other locations in Raja Ampat.
Our Raja Ampat Dive Guide School aims to ensure that local Papuans receive appropriate dive training. This empowers them and helps them to secure work in the rapidly growing tourism industry of Raja Ampat. Not only do we teach how to become a professional and responsible dive guide, but also an experienced conservationist.
In the Eyes on the Reef project, together with our valued guests at Papua Explorers Eco Resort, we collect data from the reef. One of the goals is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the marine protected areas and shark sanctuaries. At the end of every dive or snorkeling session, we invite our guests to record sightings of key species, such as sharks and rays. This also gives us the means to monitor if any changes occurred over time. We regularly present the compiled data to the local government and Marine Park authorities.
The above are just a few examples of our projects, but there are further equally interesting endeavours we are working on. Please visit the website of Raja Ampat SEA Centre to find more information on all our projects.
We look forward to sharing with you our journey as our SEA Centre grows. Further, we hope you will support us and become involved in our Raja Ampat conservation endeavors. It is only with your support that we can work towards conserving Raja Ampat’s pristine wilderness. Together we become ambassadors for healthy oceans worldwide!
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