The Forever Reef Project, spearheaded by non-profit organisation Great Barrier Reef Legacy, is opening the doors to the world’s first living coral biobank facility dedicating to conserving Great Barrier Reef coral biodiversity at Cairns Aquarium, shedding light on the need to preserve and create a backup facility for coral species.
The Forever Reef Project will be capable of hosting 12,000 live coral fragments in a state-of the art facility to preserve coral biodiversity, through the collection of living coral specimens and creating a repository of live fragments, tissues samples and genetic material to aid in reef research and restoration efforts worldwide.
With 400 species of coral in the Great Barrier Reef, the Forever Reef Project is aiming to collect all species by 2026, and currently houses nearly 50% of the species within the Cairns Aquarium facility.
However, the ultimate goal for the Project is to collect all 800 species of coral found in the world in order to properly understand and preserve all species, and complete the most precious collection on Earth.
To provide additional backups of the living fragments, the project is working closely with Traditional Owners, public and private aquariums and the coral collecting industry to create the largest collaborative preservation network of live corals, safeguarding these species forever.
Dr Dean Miller, Managing Director of Great Barrier Reef Legacy, and project Director, says, “We’ve had four mass coral bleaching events in the last six years on the Great Barrier Reef, and over 50% of corals gone in the last few decades. The most vulnerable corals and coral reefs are in danger, and we don’t have a moment to lose to protect and preserve this precious collection.”
“The Forever Reef Project aims to preserve the genetic biodiversity of hard coral species and catalogue, collect and store living fragments, tissue and genetic samples in this‘ coral ark ’to maintain the living biodiversity of corals before it’s too late.”
Dr Charlie Veron, nicknamed the ‘Godfather of Coral’ and former Australian Institute of Marine Science Chief Scientist, says, “Coral reefs are critically important ecosystems. They support almost 50% of all marine life and provide essential goods and services to an estimated one billion people, including many of the world’s most vulnerable. With projected increases in climate change and global warming, more bleaching events are expected. Without question this is the most important project we can be undertaking for corals and coral reefs.”
The Forever Reef Project is supported through private and philanthropic donations, and with more than 50% of coral species in the Great Barrier Reef yet to be collected, additional donations from individuals and businesses are critical in completing the precious collection.
The Cairns Aquarium Forever Reef facility is now open to the public in a 30minute behind the scenes tour where visitors can learn about the importance of healthy coral in the ecosystem, climate change, and experience the growing collection of corals first hand.
“This collaboration will allow tourists to see just how diverse corals are in shape, size and colour like never before in a world first tourism experience, while playing a role in their conservation. This unique collection provides visitors an unmatched resource to learn about the corals of the Great Barrier Reef and become more familiar with this they may experience while visiting the largest living natural icon” says Daniel Leipnik, CEO and Founder Cairns Aquarium.
This facility is also 100% powered by the sun due to an incredible donation by some of the country’s leading solar providers and installers meaning we aren’t contributing to the very thing that is threatening corals the most – climate change.
More information: foreverreef.org
