There are over 3,500 marine species living in the reefs and seas of Indonesia. In comparison to the Great Barrier Reef (1,500 species) and Red Sea (600 species),Indonesian’s coral reefs are the global center of marine biodiversity. 
With 17,502 islands and 85,700 sq/km of coral reef (14% of the whole world coral reef), Indonesia hold the world’s richest variety of coral with 450 species.
It is one of the Indonesian’s greatest assets. 
Unfortunately, only 6% of these reefs are healthy; Destruction comes mainly from human activity: dynamite and cyanide fishing, pollution, global warming, over exploitation and environmentally-unfriendly tourism, and more...
This degradation results in huge economic and cultural loss. Economic gain does not offset loss and destruction.
Damaged coral reefs take years to recover naturally. Despite conservation efforts now to address these problems, natural regeneration under existing efforts is inadequate, in part due to increasing global stresses.

Trawangan is a beautiful Indonesian island and a popular destination for tourists and divers. Unfortunately a large proportion of the fringing coral reef has been damaged by global warming, natural weather action (storms) and destructive fishing practice. 
with now 5 years of reef restoration, we can see the progress and the coral reefs getting better, healthier and more populated by fish.

HISTORY OF GILI TRAWANGAN REEF RESTORATION:
The first Biorock reef was installed by Vila Ombak Diving Academy and Hotel Vila Ombak in November 2004. 
The second Biorock reef was set in 2005 in front of Trawangan Dive.
In November 2006, the 4th Biorock workshop was held in Gili Trawangan. 31 participants attended and 10 Biorock reefs were built and installed.
The Gili Eco Trust with the support of PADI, Global Coral Reef Alliance, Lombok Government, Beach House, Big Bubble Dive, Bhuvana, Blue Marlin Dive, Britta, Dream Divers, Karma Kayak, Kelapa Villas, Kokita, Manta Dive, Coco, Mataram Universitas, Scallywags, Trawangan Dive, Tir Na Nog, Trawangan Eco Villas, Vila Ombak Hotel, organized the 6th Biorock reef restoration training workshop from the 1st to the 7th of  December 2008 in the Gili Islands. It was a very busy week and everyone worked very hard. 
• 52 Participants from all over the world attended the workshop. They all got certified as Biorock specialists and have learned how to build, install, connect and maintain a Biorock reef. 15 of the participants were certified as PADI Biorock Specialty Instructors. 
• The opening ceremony was honoured by the vice Governer of Lombok on his first official visit to Gili Trawangan.
• Lectures were given in Vila Ombak conference room by Tom Goreau (President of Global Coral Reef Alliance), Pak Arifin (Professor, Mataram University) and Indonesian PHD Students studying the Biorock technology.
• 4 existing reefs were extended in front of Beach House, Big bubble, Blue Marlin and Trawangan Dive.
• 10 Anti-erosion reefs were installed in front of Scallywags, Beach House, Tir Na Nog, Big Bubble, Dream Divers, Blue Marlin, Kokita, Karma Kayak and Trawangan Eco Villas .
• CNN came to film and make a documentary on the island and the Biorock projects.
• A new relationship between Gili Eco Trust and Mataram University has been established, students from Lombok will regularly come to study and maintain the new reefs.
• Solomon from the University of Helsinki, Marine Biology department was on the islands for 5 months to do his masters degree project on the Biorock technology in the Gili Islands

In 2009, we have been maintaining the existing reefs with a team of volunteers who are cleaning, monitoring and taking care of our Biorock reefs. We built a new Dolphin shape Biorock reef in front of Beach House Resort in August.
The anti-erosion structures in front of karma Kayak, Kokita and Gili Eco Vilas have been monitored and expanded. They are doing great as the beach is slowly growing back which makes everyone happy!
We started 2010 by building a new star fish and heart Biorock reefs in front of Vila Almarik. thank you Celia for your art work and great help.
We will build more with your help and support during the next Biorock workshop in November 2010.