giving coral reefs a future

1. How did you get involved in SECORE?
Valerie: Already in 2008, I came to CARMABI at Curacao for the first time. I conducted my master thesis there and worked as a volunteer afterward. During that time, I became involved in work with coral larvae and participated in my first SECORE workshop. Since then, I dreamed about continue working with Acropora larvae, and a PhD thesis was the next logical step for this. Exactly at that time, there was a joint SECORE-CARMABI announcement for such a PhD thesis, and I was lucky enough to get it.

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2. What is important for you when working with SECORE?
Valerie: First of all, I like the great opportunity to work interdisciplinary by linking fundamental with applied science. Also, the strong education and outreach component of this work involving local stakeholders is unique for a PhD thesis conducted in the field of natural sciences. I particularly like this and enjoy giving public lectures and offering tours for local scholars. If possible, I like to continue working in this field and stay at Curacao after my PhD work has finished.

3. Sounds like you heart Curacao a lot―what in particular?
Valerie: Curacao is an island with many challenges, but very dynamic and highly interesting. There are lots of interactions and ongoing dialogues with local stakeholders because of the different interests. Fortunately, decision making at Curacao with its dynamic political situation is pretty fast. This offers great opportunities for conservation initiatives.
The island exhibits very lucky natural settings. Because of its rather flat morphology and mainly dry climate, there is not much river runoff that may negatively affect the coastal coral reefs. The arrow-like shape of Curacao prevents trapping of water and allows lots of water exchange. This allows some of the most intact coral reefs in the Caribbean, e.g. East Point, to thrive. Despite of this, we can see signs of negative human impact and reef degradation at many sites. Thus, scientists should transport the message that although coral reefs at Curacao benefit from the favorable natural settings, most of them are threatened. Only those reefs, where no one lives close by, are still pristine.