Support Coral Restoration Efforts in Akumal, Mexico!

Emily Chappell Start Date: Jul 3, 2015 - End Date: Sep 13, 2015
  • Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

My Travel Story

by: Emily Chappell Start Date: Jul 3, 2015 - End Date: Sep 13, 2015
Greeting friends, family & funders!

I have recently graduated from Bangor University (North Wales, UK) with a First Class Honours in Marine Biology and have a keen enthusiasm to research corals & their resilience to climatic stressors – with particular interest in coral propagation and coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis. 

This September I will embark on a 3 month internship with Expedition Akumal, working on a coral propagation project in Akumal Bay in the Quintana Roo region of Mexico; along the beautiful Caribbean coast.

My specific role will include: conducting coral health assessments, transplanting corals onto coral frames within the coral nursery, training new volunteers on the project and giving environmental presentations at local schools.
Expedition Akumal was founded in August 2014 & since then has been running a coral restoration project (the first of its kind) & educational outreach programs in Akumal Bay. Akumal is one of the oldest tourist destinations along the Mexican Caribbean coastline, yet it still remains one of the smallest & most environmentally friendly in the area. In 40 years it has seen very little change, compared to the bigger resorts of Playa del Carmen & Cancun, & remains a haven for conservation projects; sitting on the edge of the second largest coral reef in the world, the Meso-American Barrier Reef. Despite this, Akumal is a growing tourist development area; threatened from the further building of hotels & infrastructure. There are currently plans to build 25,000 new homes in the area which do not include any waste water treatment. Without adequate waste water management, each of the homes will empty their waste water directly into the underground river systems that flow into the sea. Development of the area will thus put additional pressure on the marine ecosystem & so the coral restoration project is paramount to ensuring the sustainability of tourism within the area & the preservation of Akumals’ coral reef.

Due to Expedition Akumal being a small, local, non-profit organisation, there are limited funds available & I will have to fund my international flights from the UK, pre-departure expenses - such as vaccinations, insurance & visa - & my accomodation & living expenses whilst I am there. Whilst I am funding the majority of my internship costs through a part-time job, my soon-to-be collegue has advised me to create a fundraising page & so any additional donations would be highly appreciated & would allow me to make a difference to the reefs of Akumal through my assistance with the project.

I am hoping that my involvement in this project will aid me in my future career & give me the work experience I need to ultimately be able to head my own coral research project.

I am extremely grateful for any donations you can give & will keep you updated about the project in due course & throughout my internship.
  • Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

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