Advanced training for COAST program alumni in reef monitoring

Developing Local Reef Resilience Practitioners

Kuleana Coral Restoration's COAST (Coral Occupational Applications and Scientific Techniques) program provided local participants with foundational diving and coral restoration training. Extend the initiative so alumni can advance their skills through specialized training and field experience in reef health assessments, coral bleaching observations, and restoration monitoring. The rationale: by reinvesting in local residents who have already demonstrated a commitment to marine conservation, Hawaiʻi can build local capacity to monitor climate-related impacts, support reef restoration, and create pathways to meaningful work addressing environmental challenges.

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