Restoring Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

What is the environmental situation in Aruba, especially concerning mangroves and coral reefs?

Natasha Silva: Aruba is a small, 180 kilometer-square, Dutch Caribbean island. Our livelihoods are tied to the health of our coastal ecosystems, including the mangroves and coral reefs. These ecosystems support incredible biodiversity. Mangroves protect the coast and act as nurseries for birds, fish, insects, and more. They also provide natural protection against sea-level rise. Coral reefs are crucial for fisheries, as many species depend on them at various life stages.

The island’s high population density puts significant pressure on our ecosystems. Local pollution harms coral, while climate change and increasingly intense storms cause physical damage. We now experience coral bleaching every year, along with die-offs from stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). The reefs are breaking down, dying, and collapsing into rubble. Mangroves face challenges such as sedimentation from soil erosion, which raise salinity levels and dry them out. We began active management in 2020 and have been monitoring their health ever since.

What specific actions were implemented through the Turning the Tide project?

René Henkens: In Aruba, the seabed is often covered in coral rubble–loose stone fragments that don’t provide a stable foundation for coral to regrow. For this pilot project, we installed two types of small artificial reef structures–simple concrete blocks and coated iron reef spiders. Both types were placed, often simply by hand, at three sites along the southern coast. As soon as they were installed, fish began using them, providing a clear sign that nature is eager to rebound. To strengthen local capacity, we trained Aruban teams in the restoration techniques. In total more than 150 volunteers participated in these activities–an impressive figure!

We also expanded the coral nursery. At first, high water temperatures delayed transplantation. But by February 2024, conditions improved just enough for us to proceed. We collected coral fragments, attached them to the artificial structures, and began monitoring their growth. On the mangrove side, we focused on the excavation of sediment from the silted mangrove channels, with the aim to restore hydrological flows to areas where it had stagnated or dried up. One interesting challenge we are currently exploring is the question of what to do with the large volumes of dredged sediments. Is it feasible to use it for agriculture, construction, or other applications, or are we limited to disposing of it in the local landfill?

How can the project’s continuity be ensured?

Natasha Silva: What started as a pilot project has evolved into something much bigger, especially thanks to strong partnerships with the ScubbleBubbles Foundation, the University of Aruba, and Wageningen University. The collaboration with Wageningen University was invaluable; they brought specific expertise not yet developed on our island and helped strengthen our local capacity. It wouldn’t have been possible on our own.

Ensuring long-term sustainability means emphasizing education and community involvement. We produced Aruba’s first local nature documentary on ecological restoration, highlighting this project. It positively transformed how people perceive their own environment and gave them a better understanding of the complexities of nature conservation. Through talks, events, and public screenings, we have been raising awareness, and will continue to do so long after this project has been completed. What began as a story of despair became a story of hope and local pride.

René Henkens: The emotional power of the film is essential: science alone rarely moves people, but showing the beauty of nature of what is at stake does. We have also partnered with the University of Aruba to involve trained students in long-term monitoring: tracking fish, coral health, and water temperatures. It is a transfer of knowledge, but also of responsibility. I am proud of the collective energy from volunteers, students, and experts alike. We started small, but achieved a lot. This project shows that restoration is possible, even in heavily degraded ecosystems. However, since the future is uncertain, it is essential to continue ecological monitoring in order to adapt to emerging challenges, but also to focus on tackling anthropogenic threats and drivers.