Coral Restoration Project
Volunteer drivers secure coral plates.
The rising temperature of seawaters is causing bleaching and a large-scale outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish that threaten Okinawas coral with extinction. Team Tyura Sango is a project formed in 2004 as a partnership among government, academia and business to restore and protect the coral community near Onnason, Okinawa Prefecture, in a bid to support the restoration of coral reef ecosystems.
Volunteer divers plant coral by hand after it has been grown at onshore facilities. Since the project began, more than 1,200 volunteers have helped in the restoration, and more than 1,600 heads of coral have been planted.
In addition to continuing these preservation activities, ANA ensures that the hand-planted coral continues to grow and spawn to increase in size and number. We want these activities to inspire as many people as possible with an awareness of the importance of the beauty of the seas.
Team Tyura Sango website (in Japanese)
Steps to Coral Planting and Healthy Growth
 Whole coral plates, cultivated in a greenhouse onshore, are planted. |
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Sand and algae are carefully brushed off the rock, then plates are secured onto bolts previously set into the rock with help from local fishery cooperatives. |
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 To protect the coral from fish and other predators, a net is placed over the planting until it has grown relatively large. |
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The coral is marked for easy recognition. |
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 A baby coral planted a year ago has now grown much larger. |
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Our restoration program helped revive this coral colony. |
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Following the Development of Planted Coral
Anyone can volunteer
if you dont dive, you can help out at the onshore coral cultivating facility.
Staffers at the ANA InterContinental
Manza Beach Resort diving center
When volunteers gather to plant coral, we give them a hand. We make sure the coral plantings stay healthy by regularly checking on them and removing crown-of-thorns starfish or algae. Each coral plant is given an ID number with a coral planting certificate, so volunteers can visit anytime and see what theyve planted! So, why not join in our coral restoration project?
Channel J
Did you know that theres a program about ANAs environmental and social contribution activities on the Internet? There are currently 25 programs that you can watch at any time.
Catch the following programs
Aozora Chura Coral Reef Revival (3 minutes and 59 seconds)
http://www.channelj.co.jp/en/business/corporate/ana/movies/allnip_sangom_e_032108.html
