Coral reefs are often spoken about as beautiful places we visit. In this episode, Sam Teicher brings us into a much bigger understanding, reefs as living systems that support marine biodiversity, sustain livelihoods, protect coasts from storms and erosion, and hold deep cultural meaning for many communities.

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the sea floor, yet support around 25% of marine life. Already 50% have been lost, and 90% may be gone forever in 25 years.

Sam is the co founder of Coral Vita, an Earthshot Prize winning reef restoration company that grows corals on land and replants them onto damaged reefs. We talk about what is driving coral decline, including heat stress and bleaching, and why restoring reefs is both an ecological and human imperative.

We then explore the practicalities of restoration. Sam explains how Coral Vita uses land based coral farming to control conditions, accelerate growth through microfragmentation, and improve survivorship by identifying and propagating more heat tolerant genotypes, all while working with local communities and building education and employment pathways.

We also unpack the idea of a restoration economy. Who pays for reef restoration, how restoration as a service works, what nature positive brands are doing, and why policy, insurance, public health, and security conversations all converge when we talk about ecosystems.

Find out more about Coral Vita.

Coral Vita
Coral Restoration Consortium
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This podcast is hosted by Morag Gamble, founder of the Permaculture Education Institute - the leading international online school for integrated permaculture design, education, leadership and [pr]activism.⁠

CLICK HERE to learn permaculture design, gardening, education, communication and leadership with Morag Gamble

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This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage on Jinibara & Gubbi Gubbi country.