Tongan Coral Reef Education: 3rd Time's a Charm (KSLOF)

Tonga Time – Third Time’s a Charm

January 28, 2016

Written by Amy Heemsoth

Expedition Log: Tonga – Day 1

Malo e lelei! This means hello in Tongan. I’m very happy to announce that I just arrived in the Kingdom of Tonga. This island nation consists of over 170 islands and it is located in the South Pacific approximately 1,500 miles northeast of New Zealnd. It consists of three different island groups: Vava’u, Ha’apai, and Tongatapu. I’ve returned to Vava’u for the third installment of Tongan coral reef education.

In September 2013, the Foundation conducted Tongan coral reef education and research, while on the Global Reef Expedition. We mapped areas around Tonga and conducted coral reef surveys. Additionally, we taught school children, communities, government officials, and tourists about coral reefs. We reached just over 2,300 people.

Students at Government Primary School Liviela and Koloa learning about coral reefs in Tonga.

We returned to Vava’u in June 2014 to conduct education and fisheries science research. We also created two films about the work that we did in Tonga: Education on the Road and Fishing for the Future.

During this trip, we delved into education research, a first for the Foundation. During this pilot program, we conducted educational seminars about coral reefs in nine schools and at a variety of grade levels. Before and after the presentation, we conducted surveys with students. The student surveys were designed to determine the effectiveness of our education seminars and videos, assess attitudes towards coral reefs, and measure knowledge retention.

‘Apai Moala and Amy Heemsoth presenting coral reef education seminars in Vava’u schools.

Additionally, teachers filled out needs assessments. This survey will determine basic demographic information, the types of resources teachers have and need in order to teach about coral reefs, comfort level teaching various topics regarding coral reefs, and training that they would like to have in regards to coral reefs.

On our current trip, we are going to conduct knowledge retention and action surveys in Vava’u with the same students that we taught in 2014. This information will help us to understand whether students are retaining the information from the previous coral reef seminars and determine if they have changed their actions that may harm coral reefs.

Students at Government Primary School Neiafu (left) and Mizpah Adventist High School (right) taking pre-assessment survey.

Once we have collected this last bit of information, we will be able to analyze the data collected from the 2014 and 2015 trips. This information will help us to determine how we can help to bring coral reef education to Tonga.

In order to carry out our mission, we are continuing our three-year partnership with local government ministries and NGO’s. While in Tongatapu, we will meet with ministry offices to determine the next steps of the project and how we can further Tongan coral reef education and conservation efforts.

Photos by Amy Heemsoth & Toni Saul

Meet IFAN: Helping Bring Navigate with Care to the Next Generation

If you’ve ever seen a lighthouse flashing from the shore or a brightly colored buoy bobbing in the water, you’ve seen Aids to Navigation at work.

Aids to Navigation, often called AtoNs, help mariners navigate safely. They can mark channels, warn of hazards, help vessels determine their position, and provide other information people need to make safe decisions on the water. Around the world, these systems help guide everything from small recreational boats to large commercial or container ships.

But safe navigation isn’t only about protecting vessels and the people aboard them. The choices mariners make can also affect the animals and ecosystems beneath and around them.

That connection between maritime safety and ocean conservation is at the heart of this year’s Science Without Borders® Challenge—and of our partnership with this year’s theme sponsor, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).

OceanImageBank_TheOceanAgency_Bleaching_16-scaled-1

Coral Bleaching Awareness Month: Giving Coral Reefs a Chance to Recover

For hundreds of millions of years, coral reefs have supported life in our oceans. Although they cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they provide habitat for at least 25% of all marine species. They also support people around the world by sustaining fisheries and tourism, providing food and livelihoods, and helping protect coastlines from waves and storms.

But coral reefs are under increasing pressure. Pollution, overfishing, coastal development, physical damage, and increasingly warm ocean temperatures can all affect reef health. One of the most visible signs that a coral reef is under stress is coral bleaching.

This September, in recognition of Coral Bleaching Awareness Month, we’re taking a closer look at what happens when corals bleach, why bleaching matters, and what scientists around the world are doing to better understand, protect, and restore coral reefs.

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