Meet Jumardi, Coral Guardian at Hatamin Island in Indonesia

In this series of articles, we introduce you to the people who shape our association, inspire us or spur us into action.
For this fifth instalment, we hand over to Jumardi, coral transplanter for the Pulau Hatamin programme in Indonesia.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Jumardi, but you can call me Mardi. I plant and look after corals. I grew up on the neighbouring island of Seraya Besar and I work for Coral Guardian.

How did you start working in coral reef restoration?
I threw myself into coral reef restoration full of joy and enthusiasm!

What motivated you to join Coral Guardian?
A deep commitment to protecting coral reefs.

Is there a value or a word that sums up the spirit of Coral Guardian and its restoration programmes?
Commitment to protection and restoration.

What does a typical day in the field look like?
A typical day means monitoring, maintaining and protecting the corals.

What gives you energy in this work?
The thought of seeing healthy corals growing, with fish living all around them in abundance.

Can you describe the restoration site?
The site is on Hatamin Island, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

What are the main stages of restoration?
First, we place the corals in a nursery, then we transplant them, and then we monitor them regularly. This monitoring is there to make sure the corals survive and grow.

What is your team’s greatest strength?
Mutual support and cooperation.

What are the main challenges?
Bad weather, such as strong currents or big waves.

And your greatest achievements?
Planting thousands of corals with the team!

Why is restoring reefs so important?
Coral reefs provide a habitat, a breeding ground and a feeding ground for thousands of species of fish and other marine organisms.

What is your best memory with Coral Guardian?
The planting sessions with visitors and with the team from France.

What has been your most memorable encounter in the ocean?
Every moment I spend in it, whether I’m swimming or fishing… I love the ocean!

How do you engage with local communities?
We welcome people and encourage them to protect coral reefs and not to harm the marine ecosystem.

In your view, what are the tangible impacts of coral restoration?
I see a lot of impact and change: the sea is starting to look beautiful and fish are starting to come back in abundance.

What message would you like to share with people who adopt a coral?
You may not realise it straight away, but every coral you adopt becomes a new foundation for marine life. You’re helping to rebuild a habitat for thousands of species of fish and other sea creatures.