The University of Hawai’i at Hilo has been hard at work introducing the next generation to coral conservation. Their Marine Option Program has started to transition their coral nursery to a student-driven research facility.
One example of some of the good work they’re doing was a recent outreach program to a local charter school. The university hosted groups of fifth-grade students from Ka ‘Umeke K??eo Public Charter School. In this exercise, they taught them hands-on lessons about coral morphology.
They also gave students an opportunity to work with corals directly, teaching them how to measure and glue frags to grow out tiles. This allows students to visit again in the future and see how much their frag grew.
These types of experiences are pivotal to educating the next generation on the role corals play in marine ecosystems and may even inspire some future marine scientists. Giving children hands-on experiences during their formative years is key to planting the seeds of awareness in their futures.
For more information visit here: https://pi-casc.soest.hawaii.edu/news/nurturing-the-next-wave-of-coral-guardians/
And here: http://uhhmop.hawaii.edu/
