A PRESENTATION FOR EDA MEMBERS: NATURETECH FOR ACTIVE CORAL REEF RESTORATION

On the 19th of October, Archireef presented their Naturetech for active Coral Reef Restoration project to our EDA members at our wonderful partner venue at Deep Dive Dubai. Archireef’s Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Deniz Tekerek gave an illuminating talk about the company’s 3D-printed Reef Tile (the world’s first) made from clay which was followed by an engaged Q&A.

What makes Archireef unique?

Our mission is simple, we are dedicated to assisting the recovery of coral ecosystems through innovative eco-engineering solutions. Our solutions are designed for the foundational species, in this case, it’s coral-centric, as we believe that they are the best architects to create the natural habitats for the associated biodiversity. Our patented 3D printed coral reef tiles integrate biomimicry and non-toxic materials. They are modular, weigh around 12kg, and can be scaled at pace, placed on the seabed by divers and without the need for heavy machinery unlike other methods. We are driven by our mission and are working on creating private-public partnerships in order to scale and speed up our impact. Sustainability is a team effort, by joining forces we can achieve so much more.

What problem are you trying to solve?

We have already lost 50% of our coral reefs, and if we don’t act now, most of the world’s coral reefs will be gone by the end of this century. This is particularly important because the world has a huge dependency on corals. Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life. They are a food source for over 1.2 billion people, delivering $36 billion a year in tourism dollars.

Land-based pollution and land reclamation are some of the biggest threats to corals as they contribute to the loss of a natural substrate on ocean floors, leading to coral reef degradation and loss. Archireef is re-creating a natural substrate for corals to grow and thrive on.

Can you tell us how the tiles have helped marine life and coral ecosystems so far?

Archireef has deployed an area of over 500 square metres in Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi over the past two and a half years. We have been studying the associated biodiversity around coral and have seen a significant increase in fish and invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp and sea cucumbers. This is helping us to prove that our tiles can enhance the abundance and biodiversity of reef fish. We have also been using environmental DNA to fully quantify and capture biodiversity that we cannot see with the naked eye, which is all very exciting. However, it takes time for nature to recover, and change won’t happen overnight. As part of our business model, we conduct regular monitoring and report our findings to our clients over a minimum period of three years. This allows them to monitor the ecological impact with us and is part of our three-step model, which includes defining the restoration site and scope of the project, deploying the reef tiles and then monitoring how the tiles are performing.

What kind of partnerships do you have in place to ensure the sustainability of your work in the long-term, and do you partner with local communities to ensure longevity of your projects?

While we mostly work with the private sector and market our solutions to large corporations, we also partner with local government entities, NGOs, and universities to achieve the best outcomes for nature.

One fruitful partnership we’ve been able to forge is that with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD). The EAD have been critical to our success in Abu Dhabi given their depth of local marine ecosystem knowledge and in-house expertise, which we have rarely seen elsewhere. This partnership enabled us to operate with more confidence and take guidance from the real local experts.

To encourage longevity, our commercial partners commit to long-term subscriptions with us. During these subscription periods, the Archireef team continues to maintain and monitor the installations by performing regular health checks, tracking the growth of corals, taking and processing environmental DNA samples, and more.

In addition to this, our Reef Tile installations as well as our ocean literacy workshops are a natural draw for local communities. During installations, members of the local community can get involved and learn more about the challenges corals face, and our workshops help children and adults better appreciate and respect marine ecosystems.

For more information, go to: https://archireef.co