W Maldives resort teams up with Mars Sustainable Solutions for ambitious project
This week, W Maldives in North Ari Atoll began a mission to help restore over 400sqm (4305sq ft) of coral reef. The luxury resort partnered with Mars on the ambitious coral restoration project, which is the largest of its kind in the Maldives.
While W Maldives is renowned for its house reef, reefs across the Maldives (and beyond) are at risk of bleaching and damage due to warmer sea temperatures and ocean acidification. So, the resort decided to restore and improve the resilience of its house reef with a high-impact collaboration.
Mars is best known as a confectionery company, but since 2011 it has been developing a low-cost reproducible method of coral restoration. Known as the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS), it involves installing a continuous web of Reef Stars across the ocean floor. A total of 6,000 coral fragments will be attached to these hexagonal coral sand-coated steel structures at the Ari Atoll resort. The Reef Stars cover gaps between coral colonies and help facilitate the spread of new coral colonies.
General Manager of W Maldives, Amila Handunwala, said: “Our reef is more than a backdrop to the W experience, it’s a living force that inspires everything we do.
“This partnership with Mars is just the beginning of a broader commitment to preserve the natural wonder that surrounds us, not only for our guests today, but for generations to come.”
More than half of the world’s coral reefs have disappeared since the 1950s. And scientists estimate that over 90% of the world’s coral reefs could be at risk or even die by 2050.
W Maldives’ coral restoration project – which began on Saturday (October 25th) and will take five days to complete – is designed to enhance the natural biodiversity of its award-winning house reef. A local NGO, Save the Beach, has brought its ecological expertise, community perspective, and wisdom to the project. And joining the restoration effort is Kaushiik Subramaniam, an award-winning British wildlife filmmaker and conservation biologist. Kaushiik is documenting the installation and is set to host a screening of his documentary, Peixinho (Little Fish), for guests. It’s a story of ocean stewardship and intergenerational change, set on the coast of Mozambique.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with W Maldives in restoring one of the most biologically rich areas in the country”, said Marine Programme Lead for Maldives & Caribbean, and Global Training Manager of Mars Sustainable Solutions, Kate Janetski.
“This project represents what can be achieved through strong partnerships, enabling science-based coral restoration that is aligned with a long-term vision and a sustained commitment to ocean stewardship.”
The Reef Stars project is part of W Maldives’ evolving sustainability strategy, which also includes solar panel installation, a biogas plant, and another expansion of the coral restoration project by 2026.
For more information, visit www.wmaldives.com.
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