It’s easy for the UK to forget about coral reefs, yet new research commissioned by the SHEBA brand has found that 75% of UK adults are concerned about the state of the world’s coral reefs, yet nearly half (48%), say they don’t know much or anything at all about the role coral reefs actually play in supporting marine health.
A further 72% cited climate change as the biggest perceived threat to coral reefs, with almost a fifth (18%) believing there is no hope to save them, and a quarter being unsure. In a new video, ocean advocate and paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds brings the Sheba Hope Grows programme movement to life through compelling storytelling, urging and inspiring the UK and beyond to rally awareness and take action to preserve and restore the beauty of our oceans.
Ellie said: “Although the world’s reefs feel so far away from the UK, the impacts of climate change affect our entire planet, whether it be through changing weather patterns or the loss of coral reefs, we must do more to give nature a chance to adapt and resist these changes.”
With the world’s coral reefs at risk, ocean advocate Simmonds has once again joined forces with the SHEBA brand to show that there is still hope for the Great Barrier Reef, and the Sheba Hope Grows programme is demonstrating the value that restoration plays in rebuilding damaged reefs within Australia’s most famous reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is just one of the sites where the programme is making an impact. Together with its partners, there are now 65 restoration sites in 12 countries, the world’s largest coral restoration programme.
Ellie said: “Preserving our oceans is something I have always been passionate about, especially with the water being a big part of my life for many years. I’m thrilled to be joining forces with Sheba Hope Grows programme again this year to show everyone a new story of hope.
“It’s incredible to see the power of reef stars and meet the team behind this small unique structure that has a big impact.
“Change can’t happen alone, it’s about the partnership between many organisations. It just goes to show how powerful we can be when we have a common goal – saving our oceans. Action taken to restore coral reefs today, helps to preserve our oceans for generations to come.”
Joining the Marine Experts from the Mars Sustainable Solutions team at the Great Barrier Reef, Simmonds took part in coral restoration up close and learnt how the team spent more than a decade developing a scalable solution with the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System. This utilises Reef Stars, hexagonal sand-coated steel structures, that provide a stable base for coral fragments to grow, which are planted on the ocean floor to kickstart the coral reef restoration process.
Professor David Smith, Senior Director of Mars Sustainable Solutions and Chief Marine Scientist at Mars Incorporated, said: “Thanks to the Sheba Hope Grows programme, the team on the ground in Australia has been able to install over 400 reef stars – bringing life back to these areas of the Great Barrier Reef.”
Simmonds also saw the work the team carries out with partners such as Citizens of the Reef, who are using new methodology to census reefs in the Cairns region. This allows them to gather health data on the state of these reefs, using this as an opportunity to identify reefs that might need extra help.
Professor David said: “Through partnering with local communities, we can continue to promote biodiversity and drive important, sustainable solutions for our coral reefs, helping our fight against climate change. There is still more to be done but with our dedicated team and partners, it’s another extremely important step in the right direction.”
