In june 2019, I had the great pleasure and opportunity to follow the Biorock Process Speciality Course, a novel technique to create artificial coral reefs, with Delphine Robbe, the one who started to restore the reefs in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. She is also the foundator of the Gili Eco Trust, with her local team she takes care about the Waste Management on the Island and Eco tourism.
Birock Technology is amazing. To create artificial coral reefs, we start building a steel structure and putting a low voltage of direct current through it when it sunk in the ocean. When the structure is fixed into the water, we attach pieces of corals that are still alive, – broken pieces we can collect on others damaged reefs-, on the structures.
Due to the low voltage current and resulting electrolytic reaction a stable substrate is formed of calcium carbonate around the metal, providing a sturdy surface for corals to cement to.
This low voltage also promotes the corals grow faster and stronger than on natural reefs. Doing this, Gili Eco Trust restores the beauty coral reefs of Gili Trawangan in a short period of time.
They have proven to be more resilient than natural reefs in severe bleaching events of 2009, 2010 and 2016. More than 120 structures are placed in the water around the Gili Islands, foresting a lot of new corals and a vast area for fish life and biodiversity.
More info ?
instagram: @giliecotrust
Underwater Biorock 
Delphine Robbe
Dive In Space 
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