Course Standards and Requirements for Completion

Both divers and non-divers can complete this course. Non-divers or those who complete the online learning course and pass the final exam will receive a PDF certificate showing their participation and successful completion of this online course.

Divers and those taking the course with one of our instructors are eligible for the full and printed certification card through Conservation Diver. While anybody can take this online course, to complete the diving portion or be involved in any Conservation Diver restoration program, you must first complete the Ecological Monitoring Program course.

To receive the full certification, you must meet the following:

Prerequisites

• Be certified as an advanced diver under a leading diving organization (PADI, SSI, etc) (must include at least 1 deep dive)
• Demonstrate proper diving ability at an Advanced Level and be proficient in buoyancy and self-awareness.
• Be certified in the Ecological Monitoring Program

Standards

• Understand the threats to coral reefs, the factors affecting coral growth, and the basics of coral reef restoration
• Understand coral life cycles, the ecological differences between the asexual and sexual reproductive cycles in corals, and the importance of maintaining high biodiversity on the reef.
• Understand the history and evolution of coral restoration techniques as well as local standards (do’s and don’ts)
• Understand the theory behind the use of coral nurseries as well as the practical application of locally and internationally developed techniques.
• Perform the practical steps of building and maintaining a coral nursery
• Perform a monitoring dive to take data on the health, growth, and diversity of a coral nursery

Requirements

• Attend the coral nursery knowledge development session
• Attend 3 dive briefings
• Perform 3 dives at the coral nurseries (1) collect coral fragments and secure them to the nursery (at least 2 nursery types) (2) perform maintenance and cleaning (3) collect data on growth rates, mortality, and diversity.

Minimum course duration 12 hours  

This course is a prerequisite for our more advanced coral restoration courses, such as artificial reefs, spawning and larval culturing, or mineral accretion technologies. As this restoration course involves manipulating the ecosystem, you must have a solid understanding of coral reefs and an intimate knowledge of the region you will be working in.

This course series is designed to equip those who are passionate about coral restoration but might be working with limited resources or initial scientific training. We aim to make restoration efforts efficient, effective, and accessible for everyone.

We want to emphasize the vital role of local community-based managers, who are often the most closely connected to the reefs, culturally and economically. Our goal is to enhance their abilities and resources, and we believe this is a crucial step towards successful long-term reef protection and restoration.

As a student, or someone interested in coral reef conservation, we invite you to use this course as your launchpad. You’re starting a journey that will help protect and improve the health of our world’s coral reefs.