Climate-Resilient Coral Restoration Learning Exchange – Dominican Republic, 2026 

The Climate-Resilient Coral Restoration Learning Exchange convened a diverse group of Belizean NGOs, researchers, and government agencies—joined by experienced practitioners from the Dominican Republic—to build stronger regional capacity in climate‑resilient restoration. In April 2026, the Belize cohort traveled to the Dominican Republic for an immersive five‑day program that combined hands‑on fieldwork with focused classroom sessions. This structure helped participants gain a clear, practical understanding of what goes into designing an effective climate‑resilient restoration plan. The 11 participants represented the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment, University of Belize Environmental Research Institute, Belize Fisheries Department, and The Nature Conservancy in Belize. Throughout the learning exchange, they strengthened their technical skills in restoration planning, deepened their understanding of climate‑resilient approaches, and built stronger collaboration across organizations. By the end of the learning exchange, each group had developed a draft climate‑resilient restoration plan tailored to their site. “The training helped us become a community of practice for Belize,” said one participant. 

Special thanks to the staff at FUNDEMAR and Fundación Grupo Puntacana’s Marine Innovation Center, who shared their coral restoration facilities and approaches with us and provided insight into real-world challenges and solutions. “It’s been truly inspiring to see all the awesome work happening outside of my home country,” said one participant. Thank you to our facilitators: Dr. Annick Cros, Dr. Liz Shaver, Maxene Atis, and Michelle Graulty, and to Dr. Aldo Croquer.  

The Climate-Resilient Coral Restoration Learning Exchange was made possible through the collaboration and support of The Nature Conservancy via CoralCarib, Super Reefs Belize, and the Reef Resilience Network, with the support of the partners FUNDEMAR and Fundación Grupo Puntacana’s Marine Innovation Center.