Fragmentation is a natural reproductive strategy in many corals, whereby broken pieces of coral reattach to the reef and grow in to a new colony. At Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru we facilitate reef recovery by transplanting coral fragments from our coral nurseries or collected naturally broken pieces of coral. With a little care, coral can be grown and maintained much like any other garden.

Corals are transplanted to spaces on the reef using cement or attached to metal frames. The planted corals enjoy a high survival rate and some corals grow extremely quickly given favourable conditions. Selective planting of different coral species allows us to maintain natural diversity on the reef, or to create areas where corals of the same species can benefit during spawning. Coral gardens in all stages of growth provide an important habitat for young reef fishes, and allow guests not able to visit the outer reef with an opportunity to enjoy the colour and activity of the reef in the safety of the shallow lagoon.

Our restoration efforts have been described by Prof Alasdair Edwards, the global authority on coral reef restoration and author of the manual for reef restoration with 30 years’ experience worldwide as “some of the best looking and most successful restoration I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world”. Our efforts are low cost, low effort, easy enough for anyone to participate, and act to assist natural processes.