As the 10th World Conference for Ecological Restoration approaches, we want to thank Mars for their generous partnership for SER2023 as a Strategist sponsor. Their support is helping to ensure that this is the premier event for the world’s leading experts in ecological restoration. We are especially thrilled to recognize Mars as the SER Awards Sponsor at this year’s event. SER Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding achievements in advancing the craft, knowledge, and public awareness of ecological restoration. Recipients of these prestigious awards will be announced during the plenary sessions each morning at SER2023.
Mars’ sponsorship for this global event will not only help strengthen the SER Awards program, but also improve the quality and breadth of the conference program, facilitate participation of students and professionals from developing countries, and provide formative experiences that delegates can translate into better restoration outcomes.
Learn about the Mars Coral Reef Restoration
For over a decade, Mars Sustainable Solutions, in partnership with local communities, scientists, businesses, NGOs and governments, has been developing and implementing a simple, community-led solution to help restore damaged coral reefs globally. This solution, referred to as MARRS (Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System) is a holistic approach to reef restoration and is centred around a hexagonal steel structure called the Reef Star. Working in teams, Reef Stars are deployed in extensive webs to stabilise loose dead coral and provide a platform for coral to grow. Over time, the coral completely overgrows and engulfs the Reef Stars, which become fully integrated into the reef structure. This creates new habitats for fish and invertebrates and encourages the settlement of additional native corals. As natural ecological processes kick back into motion, the whole reef comes back to life.
At its most effective, the MARRS method can transform heavily degraded coral rubble fields into healthy, vibrant, coral-dominated ecosystems within a few years, with coral cover increasing from <5% to >70% and the number of fish species increasing by 64%. Since the first Reef Star was installed, over the last decade Mars has trained and created a global community of reef builders and advocates, involving more than 500 people from Indonesia, Australia, Mexico, The Maldives, the US Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Kenya, Colombia, and Aruba. Collectively Mars, alongside partners, has installed over 60,000 Reef Stars, out planting 900,000 coral fragments across 30 sites in 10 countries, spanning 5 continents. This global program illustrates Mars’ commitment to and belief that large-scale restoration is crucial for safeguarding the future of coral reefs and the communities dependent on them.
Learn more about the Mars Coral Reef Restoration here.
Once again, a big thank you to Mars for their significant support and commitment to SER2023 and SER. Together, we’re creating positive and lasting impacts in ecological restoration worldwide.
