During the summer of 2024, on August 10th specifically, a coral spider with sixteen coral fragments was installed in the name of Elia Group, in the context of coral reef restoration near Nusa Penida, Bali. A monitoring round was executed on October 31, 2024.
When using the spider technique, individual metal structures are welded together by local ...Read more
During the summer of 2024, on August 10th specifically, a coral spider with sixteen coral fragments was installed in the name of Elia Group, in the context of coral reef restoration near Nusa Penida, Bali. A monitoring round was executed on October 31, 2024.
When using the spider technique, individual metal structures are welded together by local villagers. Once the spider is created, a coat of cement paint is applied. This prevents the leaching of iron into the ecosystem and acts as an attractive base of attachment for the coral. On the upward-facing part of the spider, an engraved name tag made from bamboo is placed.
After that, it’s time to go into the ocean, for the first time at least. The spiders are left in the ocean for 4 - 6 weeks to become coated in coralline algae. Once the spiders are coated in algae, mixed reef planting techniques are carried out. The reef is carefully combed to find naturally broken, yet still living coral fragments from a variety of coral genera. These fragments are then attached to the spiders using zip ties. As the zip ties become overgrown, excess material is carefully removed to avoid harming wildlife.
We attach 16 coral fragments to one coral spider and each spider occupies 0,35 square meters of seafloor. Through the customization of a spider with a name tag, the spider technique allows for transparent monitoring of the coral growth and reef health. This tailored approach ensures transparent and effortless reporting on the progress of restoration efforts