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By: Chalsey Gill Anthony, Communications Officer, Belize Fund

In 2001, Category 4 Hurricane Iris left the coastal community of Placencia battered and devastated. Lisa Carne, a marine biologist who had been living in Belize since 1995, found herself grappling with the aftermath of the hurricane. “That year, there was no tourism because everything was flattened,” she recalls, a somber reminder of the fragility of the environment she had come to love.

On the beach, Lisa stumbled upon a fragment of hope—broken pieces of corals lying still alive but detached from its home. “I thought, wow, maybe we could reforest the reefs like they do onshore,” she mused, igniting a passion that would lead to the birth of Fragments of Hope, an organization dedicated to coral restoration.

When Lisa first began her coral restoration work in Belize, she faced skepticism. The journey from skepticism to support wasn’t overnight. It began with older fishermen who, observing the natural process of coral fragmentation and regrowth during storms, started to understand and endorse Lisa’s work. “It was those same older fishermen who finally said they get it,” she reminisces. This local validation spread “like wildfire,” fostering a sense of community ownership that remains central to Fragments of Hope’s principles.

Today, Fragments of Hope is recognized for their success in coral restoration, not just in Belize but globally. The organization’s work at some restoration sites has yielded notable results, with restored sites showing significantly higher survival rates during recent bleaching events compared to natural stands.

Despite facing mass global bleaching events and rising water temperatures, Fragments of Hope reported a remarkable 4% mortality rate among the 342 Elkhorn corals they outplanted. In contrast, natural stands in the same area experienced a staggering 31% mortality rate.

“We came through much better at the restoration sites than in Northern Belize, which speaks to the power of genetic diversity and strategic positioning,” noted Dr. Leslie Kaufman, a colleague from Boston University and researcher supporting Fragments of Hope. But there are still many questions to be answered to continue replicating the success of coral restoration throughout the Belize Barrier Reef System.

Sustainable financing is vital for the longevity of marine conservation efforts. The Belize Fund provided BZ$801,370.00 to Fragments of Hope for a three-year project focused on restoring critically endangered coral species. This funding supports Fragments of Hope in meeting its commitment to building local capacity through increased staff support and workshops aimed at improving the skills of community members in conducting bleaching surveys and understanding coral species.

A key component of sustainable financing is demonstrating the broader economic and social benefits of conservation work. Healthy coral reefs are vital for tourism, fishing, and coastal protection. Lisa highlights an example where a local tour guide provided a detailed tour of Laughing Bird Caye, showcasing the restored corals.

“Even though he’s never actually gone out planting with us, he still had the information and the pride to show everything. It’s a fantastic indicator of community commitment and its relation to tourism,” Lisa stated.  “We want to ensure that the community can effectively monitor coral health and contribute to ongoing restoration efforts.”

Climate change poses an ever-present threat to coral ecosystems, which propelled Fragments of Hope to work with experts to formulate a national restoration plan. This comprehensive strategy aims to coordinate efforts across Belize, maximizing the impact of coral restoration initiatives. Lisa discussed the importance of creating genetically diverse and self-replicating restored sites, ensuring connectivity and resilience in the face of climate change. Dr. Kaufman also emphasized the long-term nature of coral restoration, noting that the goal is to keep enough of the reef alive so that it can restore itself once climate challenges are resolved. “This is a long game,” he said.

Looking ahead, Fragments of Hope is exploring the possibility of relocating more resilient coral genotypes from southern Belize to northern sites that have struggled with restoration efforts. This approach is based on the understanding that genetic diversity plays a critical role in the survival and adaptability of coral species.

The work being done by Fragments of Hope in Belize serves as a model for coral reef conservation worldwide. By prioritizing community involvement, focusing on education and training, fostering climate resilience through genetic diversity, and adapting strategies in response to environmental challenges, the organization is contributing to the health of marine ecosystems in Belize and the global ocean space.