World Sailing Lead Miami Coral Reef Restoration
January 24, 2020
Ahead of last week's Hempel World Cup Series event in Miami, sailors and officials teamed up to rescue a coral reef in an expedition led by Sport for Climate Action Collective Impact Award Winners, World Sailing and the University of Miami.
The four-hour long expedition allowed sailors to learn about the stresses on coral reefs such as climate change and pollution, before planting over 150 staghorn corals that had been nursery-reared by the University.
The expedition supported World Sailing's Sustainability Agenda 2030, sailing's bold contribution to global sustainability, with a view to providing education to international sailors as well as contributing to enhance local environments through hosting a World Sailing event.
Laser Radial sailors Estere Kumpina (LAT), Valeria Lomatchenko (RUS) and Philipine van Aanholt (ARU), Finn sailors Kyle Martin (CAN) and Alexey Selivanov (RUS) and Laser sailor Tijn van der Gulik (ARU) all participated. US Sailing also supported through the participation of their Olympic Director, Meredith Brody.
Dan Reading, Head of Sustainability at World Sailing, said: "It was a great opportunity for the sailors and officials to learn about the local marine environment, as well as carry out some hands-on citizen science whilst contributing to the health of the marine ecosystem.
"Rescue a Reef is an extension of our coral research lab at the University of Miami, with a focus on citizen science. We want to better connect with the general public and actually have them play a role in our research and restoration.” said Dalton Hesley, Program Manager at Rescue a Reef.
The sustainability focus in Miami continued on the weekend where a mangrove clean was held for sailors and the local community. 70 youth sailors from several local sailing clubs joined Olympic sailors and hopefuls all working together to pick up plastic in the area. Working with local organisation ‘Send it for The Sea’ (who weighed the plastic) they were able to collect 295kg (650lbs).
World Sailing are winners of the inaugural Sport for Climate Action Collective Impact Award supported by the Swedish Postcode Foundation. Learn more about this incredible group, and the wider Collective Imapct Award program here.