To help generate awareness on efforts to restore our planet’s Oceans, the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative has brought together two brand Testimonees and Partners in a unique location.

The Gulf of Thailand hosts over 300 species of coral, but is under great threat of mass biodiversity loss. The region has recently experienced some of the worst coral bleaching on the planet and, without a living reef to call home, the fish will soon start to disappear. Like millions living in coastal regions around the world, the people on the islands of Koh Mak and Koh Kood, located in Trat Province in the Gulf of Thailand, have begun to suffer. To help remedy this environmental degradation, Titouan Bernicot, founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners, enlisted a small group of locals from the islands and trained them to help build the organization's new Thailand branch. This dual branch, with operations on the two remote islands, has introduced Coral Gardeners to a completely new region of the world in Southeast Asia. After having opened a branch in Fiji in 2023, Thailand represents another significant milestone in Bernicot's goal to create a global movement to save our reefs.

Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue, and Bernicot met in Thailand to work together towards the preservation of the oceans and generate awareness on the impact of climate change on the health of coral reefs, marine wildlife, and the coastal communities depending on the oceans for survival. The pair explored the area’s reefs together, worked and shared knowledge with locals and showcased the islands’ beauty and marine biodiversity.

A PROSPECTIVE NEW HOPE SPOT

Mission Blue was founded by Earle in 2009. The global organization highlights the importance of protecting significant marine ecosystems around the world called Hope Spots: ecologically important areas of the oceans considered vital to the preservation of species, or places where communities rely on a healthy marine environment to survive.

With Earle herself visiting the islands and seeing the wealth of life that calls their waters home, the Coral Gardeners team are hopeful that they will add them to the growing number of Mission Blue ocean Hope Spots. The team have begun the application process following Earle’s strong encouragement and, if approved, the area would be the first Hope Spot in the Gulf of Thailand for Mission Blue.

If Koh Mak and Koh Kood became Hope Spots, it would raise the area’s profile, increasing the likelihood of its waters being further protected. With the collaboration of these two organizations, the area could see its reefs returned to the vibrant ocean ecosystems they once were.

Thailand's waters have a higher diversity of corals than French Polynesia, where Coral Gardeners began their work. To accommodate the variety of species, the organization's Thai branch introduced Coral Gardeners' first land-based nursery - the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia with the support of the Perpetual Planet Initiative. This facility will have the capacity to hold up to 40 tanks and grow up to 50,000 corals, including a wide range of species such as massive and encrusting corals.

Complementing this are ocean-based nurseries spread across large-scale restoration sites and dedicated research and development areas, enabling the growth of over 10,000 corals per year. The team has already successfully cultivated their first generation of mature corals, now ready for outplanting.

This collaboration with Earle provides an incredible opportunity for the Coral Gardeners to use their skills to strengthen and protect a highly diverse and globally important area of reef.

“Opening a Hope Spot here in Thailand, the first Hope Spot of Thailand, means a lot.
I have been so excited to dive with Sylvia and show her what I have learned, and for her to see why this reef means hope to us.”
- Titouan Bernicot, Founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners

The Thai branch of the Coral Gardeners, now with more than 10 dedicated members of staff, is set to become a significant part of the team’s mission of reef restoration. coral gardeners: restoring the reefs.

THE BLUE HEART OF OUR PLANET

Sylvia Earle, Rolex Testimonee since 1982 and legendary marine explorer, has spent more than 7,500 hours underwater, led more than 100 expeditions and discovered thousands of new marine species. With support from Rolex since 2014, the number of Hope Spots has increased from 50 to more than 160, many of which achieved or made significant progresse towards extended protection in 2024 including Mission Blue Hope Spots in Nusa Penida, Indonesia, the Chumash Sanctuary off the Californian coast, Exmouth Gulf in western Australia, and the Azores archipelago. Hope Spots cover a total 55,000,000 square kilometres of ocean, contributing to a global movement aiming to protect 30 per cent of the world's seas by 2030.

“No one person can do everything, but every person can do something. Together, we
really can make a difference.”
- Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue

CORAL GARDENERS – OCEAN HEROES

Coral Gardeners a collective of young ocean advocates - have one shared mission: to save the reefs. Since launching in 2017, Bernicot, a Rolex Testimonee, and the Coral Gardeners team have been rewriting the rules of conservation, bringing a new approach to raising awareness and inspiring younger audiences to see the difference that we can make by restoring our coral reefs, and in turn the wider environment. Seeking advice from experts and scientists around the world on reef restoration methods, Coral Gardeners collect fragments of resilient corals to cultivate in nurseries for years before 'planting' them back onto nearby reefs and monitoring the ecological impact. The team have planted over 200,000 corals in nurseries and on reefs and have established two international branches, in addition to the one they already have in their home of French Polynesia. Their innovative concepts, which include developing tools that use artificial intelligence to improve reef conservation and garnering support through a massive social media presence, are having a lasting impact on the conservation of coral reefs.

“Our goal is to become the most advanced coral reef restoration programme on the planet,
and to open international branches in every ocean where local communities restore their reef ecosystems.”
- Titouan Bernicot, Founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners coral gardeners: restoring the reefs

ABOUT THE PERPETUAL PLANET INITIATIVE
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing journeys marked by milestones and emotions that culminate in defining moments. For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers to help them achieve countless historic feats. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside those building a better future for all life on earth.

The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative was launched in 2019 and now has a portfolio of more than 30 partners, active in three main focus areas: Oceans; Landscapes; and Science, Health, and Technology.

For the Oceans, Rolex supports a wide range of projects such as: Mission Blue and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle; Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen; and Coral Gardeners.

The Landscapes roster includes: a strengthened partnership with the National Geographic Society; Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, offspring organisations of Tompkins Conservation; and Steve Boyes and the Great Spine of Africa series of expeditions.

Rolex also supports partners in Science, Health, and Technology, such as:

Rolex Awards Laureates Andrew Bastawrous; Felix Brooks-church; and Miranda Wang.

Rolex also supports organizations and initiatives fostering the next generation of explorers, scientists and conservationists, such as the Royal Geographical Society, The Explorers Club, the CERN & Society Foundation and the EPFL (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in Lausanne.