Coral Reef Restoration
In partnership with Atoll Marine Centre and Atoll Volunteers, we care for a small-scale coral garden housing coral frames, a table nursery, rope nursery and tree structures, with the goal of out-planting to degraded parts of our house reef.
Our Coral Restoration Volunteer Program trains you in Coral ID, maintenance, and the methods used in coral restoration with hands on experience with instructors and marine biologists in an active restoration project.
A Reef Guru partner facility, we also offer training in Coral Restoration and Coral Conservation as well as the ability to join us for one of our coral dives.
What is Coral Gardening?
Coral gardening is the process of growing coral polyp to help restore the reef. In our ocean-based nursery we take small fragments of coral (corals of opportunity) which have naturally broken off of the reef and ‘plant’ them in our garden. Once broken from the reef these fragments have a very small chance of survival unless attached to a solid substrate, such as a coral frame or nursery.
Monitoring & Maintenance
Each coral is monitored every 6 months to record the health and growth rate. This data helps Atoll Marine Centre’s Marine Biologists assess the health of our garden and make decisions on what corals to plant and where. With over 800 corals, and more always being attached, this is a weekly task for our team. Maintenance is also a big job, from cleaning the frames around the corals to checking for (and removing) corallivirous pests.
Become a Coral Gardener
We offer training in Coral Reef Restoration and Conservation to give you the tools you need to work on any coral gardening project worldwide. We also work with Atoll Volunteers for the Coral Reef Restoration Volunteer Project, a 2-4 week project where you put these skills to use, helping our instructors and marine biologists with all our restoration and monitoring work.
Coral Restoration Volunteer Program
About
Join our marine conservationists in their efforts to rebuild coral populations at our local house reef, as well as enjoying spending time in one of the most idyllic places in the world. This program is perfect for budding conservationists who want to gain practical skills and field experience, or for volunteers who simply love coral reefs and want to interact with them sustainably.
Get hands-on experience in coral restoration on our active coral restoration project.
Learn the skills to work on different coral restoration structures.
Monitor coral heath and fish abundance through world-wide initiatives.
Help us clean our ocean - without clean reefs coral restoration is futile.
Learn how to ID Megafauna, submitting data to partner NGO’s around the Maldives.
Outside of your coral program you are invited to join in our volunteer activities which range from cleaning beaches, upcycling, conducting seagrass surveys or echinoderm surveys to learning about sea turtles, marine veterinary work or shark conservation at Atoll Marine Centre.
What to Expect
Learn how to restore corals with hands-on experience, helping us expand and care for our shallow coral garden at our beloved house reef.
Work on a coral nursery, tree structures, a rope nursery and artificial reef structures, allowing you to experience all of the main types of coral restoration.
Join a Crown of Thorns removal workshop and dive.
Participate in Coral Identification workshops above & below water.
Practice coral data collection and monitoring skills.
Work on an active coral restoration project.
Join other conservation activities including our weekly Dive Against Debris.
Gain a new qualification with the Reef Guru Coral Restoration Diver course.
Learn how to identify megafauna and log sightings.
Learn how to conduct CoralWatch and REEF fish surveys.
Option to be certified in PADI Fish ID, Dive Against Debris and Coral Watch specialties.
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Example Schedule:
Day 1: Arrive in Naifaru, meet the team and receive a welcome presentation, briefing and tour of the island.
Day 2: Jump straight into your program with a coral identification presentation & workshop before a snorkel tour along the house reef & visit to our coral garden. In the afternoon you will join the Atoll Volunteers team for a fun activity.
Day 3: Time to start your Reef Guru Restoration Diver Course, dive 1 includes a buoyancy clinic & in-water coral identification.
Day 4: Reef Guru Restoration Diver Course dive 2, learn all the skills to maintain a coral garden & collect data from a range of structures. After the dive you will learn how to input data and log images.
Day 5: We will start the morning with the Reef Guru Restoration Diver Course dive 3: collecting corals of opportunity from our reef. Then after a lunch break we will embark on your final course dive and attach the coral fragments we collected to our structures.
Day 6: Learn how to conduct a Coral Watch snorkel survey & submit the data before a Fish ID workshop. Then, join our weekly Dive Against Debris - after all, cleaning our ocean is the first step to restoring our reefs!
Days Off: Saturdays are usually our day off and here days off mean we go and explore the atoll on a fun excursion!
Week 2+: Time to put your new Coral Restoration skills to practice! The following weeks will be a mixture of coral maintenance, data collection, fish abundance & coral health surveys and clean up dives.
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Pre-arrival:
Support from our volunteer coordinator.
Pre-arrival information.
During your Stay:
In-country transportation between Male and Naifaru by domestic flight.
Accommodation.
3 meals per day.
1 excursion per week.
24/7 support from our volunteer coordinator.
Post-departure:
In-country transportation between Naifaru and Male by domestic flight.
Certificate of competency.
Lifetime of memories.
Discount of 10% if you decide to come again!
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International Flights.
Travel health insurance.
Dive insurance - mandatory in the Maldives but can be purchased on arrival through our partner DAN.
Hotel in Male for late arrivals (approx $90).
e-Learning and certification costs - volunteers should purchase and complete the Reef Guru Coral Restoration Diver e-Learning (approx £50) before arrival.
There is also the option to be certified in the PADI Fish ID, Dive Against Debris and Coral Watch PADI specialties for an additional $95 per specialty.
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2 Weeks:
$3,000 USD (+ 1 Day $120 USD)
3 Weeks:
$3,740 USD (+ 1 Day $111 USD)
4 Weeks:
$4417 USD (+ 1 Day $110 USD)
More Information
Send an email to coordinator@atollvolunteers.com for the full information pack.
Testimonials
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“The ocean is my happy place. Even after years of scuba diving, it still amazes and overwhelms me on every dive. However, it also deeply saddens me to see it suffering from human impact. At Naifaru I found inspiration for solutions while working on coral restoration at the beautiful house reef, monitoring fish, and removing trash.
But above all, I was guided by incredibly smart, dedicated, and amazing people. Their passion and kindness made my stay truly unforgettable and gives me hope for the ocean’s future.
Every ocean lover will fall for the Maldives, especially when experiencing it with AMC and Aqua Dive Centre. Thanks to Lizzie, every dive was memorable and I will definitely never dive without a trash bag again. My only regret is that my time on the island was far too short.“
Josephine Ballon, 35, Germany - 2 Week Coral Restoration Volunteer Program.
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“The four weeks I spent in Naifaru were some of the best of my life.
As a part of the coral restoration program, diving was a large part of my day-to-day life, which was so special, particularly when combined with the work I was doing on the coral garden. I loved the escape from reality, the beautiful surroundings and perfect weather but the best was the people…. The local people are so kind, welcoming and always want a game of volleyball. And I have made some great friends with other volunteers from all over the world. The staff of AMC are amazing and have so much passion for conservation while being so fun which leads to so many great memories which will stay with me for a lifetime. Teg has so much positive energy and helped with organisation from before I even got on the flight, and while I was there she made every day feel special and fun. However most days I spent diving and working with Lizzie, I loved the time we worked together, and her experience and great personality made my time there so rewarding.
This experience has opened so many doors for me and made me see things in a new light, as well as having left me with some of my favourite memories. Thank you for everything!”
Henry Hodgkinson, 19, United Kingdom - 4 Week Coral Restoration Volunteer Program.
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“Since I was a child, I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean. Through my travels, I got to see just how breathtaking and mysterious these places can be. I’ve always wanted to explore more and understand the world that drew me in so deeply.
This internship gave me a completely new perspective on the marine world, one that’s much more grounded in today’s reality. I became aware of how fragile these ecosystems are, the threats they’re facing, and most importantly, the actions we can take to help protect them.
I learned so much about corals, how they function, their importance in marine ecosystems, the challenges they face, and how we can actively help restore them. It wasn’t just theory, it was hands-on work : reef cleanups, monitoring, nursery maintenance. Learning by doing made all the difference.
What truly made this experience special was the people. Working with Lizzie and the other volunteers was a chance to share, to speak English every day, and to discover new perspectives and cultures. It was incredibly enriching on a human level.
And of course, there was diving. During this month, I earned my Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver certifications. It was intense at times, but also deeply rewarding. It brought me even closer to the underwater world I love so much.
Now, I see the ocean differently. I still admire its beauty, but I’m also aware of its fragility. And more than ever, I want to keep working to protect it.”
Sauvane Therese, 19, France - 4 Week Coral Restoration Volunteer Program.
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"Since I was younger, I've had a fascination with sea life and have always wanted to help make a difference with the conservation and restoration of our ocean.
Having spent the last month in Naifaru working with Aqua Dive and the Atoll Marine Centre, I am proud that I have started contributing towards these efforts.
I've learnt so much doing coral restoration during my time here, including how to build a coral tree, maintenance on coral garden frames and improving my fish ID (which was pretty much non existent before this trip 😂).
Lizzy has been an amazing instructor, teaching me how to dive so I am now PADI certified!! 🎉 Her passion and determination to restore our reefs is inspiring and I thoroughly enjoyed working with her to care for the coral garden established in Naifaru, surveying the reefs and removing rubbish.
Diving and seeing all the marine life in its natural habitat right in front of me rather than on a documentary was breathtaking and surreal. It really is an eye opening experience!
But what really made this trip so incredible were the people I met along the way, both staff and volunteers. Everyone was so bubbly, welcoming and passionate about their work but also made free afternoons and evenings fun with movies on the beach, volleyball games, uno nights and so much more, the list would go on forever!
I had a fantastic month working with the Atoll Marine Centre and Aqua Dive teams and I have made memories to last a lifetime!
I could not recommend this experience enough, and wish I could have stayed forever!”
Sophie Eels, 22, UK - 4 Week Coral Restoration Volunteer Program.
Less time? Join us for a Coral Restoration course or dive!
Reef Guru Coral Restoration Diver Course
In collaboration with Atoll Marine Centre, learn how to restore corals with hands-on experience.
After you have completed your Reef Guru eLearning, you will join your instructor for a knowledge development session. The first course dive includes a buoyancy clinic and coral identification. Dive 2 covers coral garden maintenance and data collection. On dive 3 we will be search along our reef for corals of opportunity, which you will then attach to our coral frames, nursery and tree structures on dive 4.
Price: $145.00 (+£50 eLearning). Length: 2-3 Days. Maximum Ratio: 4 students/instructor. Includes: Full equipment. Excludes: Dive Insurance and eLearning.
Reef Guru Coral Conservation Diver Course
In collaboration with Atoll Marine Centre, learn how to maintain a coral garden with hands-on experience.
After you have completed your Reef Guru eLearning, you will join your instructor for a knowledge development session. Next, it’s time to get in the water! You first course dive includes a buoyancy clinic and coral identification and dive 2 covers coral garden maintenance and data collection.
Price: $105.00 (+£40 eLearning). Length: 1-2 Day. Maximum Ratio: 4 students/instructor. Includes: Full equipment. Excludes: Dive Insurance and eLearning.
Coral Gardening Dives
Coral gardens take a lot of maintenance so every week we venture out to clean, fix, lift, collect data on and monitor our coral frames.
If you already have knowledge of coral restoration, join us for a dive (overseen by our instructors and Atoll Marine Centre’s Marine Biologists) and help us to expand, and care for, our beloved coral garden.
Price: $35.00