As a Coral Cay Conservation volunteer, the data you gather on every science survey down on the coral reefs or in the heart of a tropical rainforest goes directly into creating clear management maps using satellite imagery. Take this tropical island group known as the ‘Mamanucas’ in Fiji for example:

Geographical Information System (GIS) map of the Mamanucas showing the ‘Conservation Management Values’ based on extensive marine surveys. Areas in green have the highest abundance and diversity of marine life.

On every dive or forest trek, you survey a defined section of reef or woodland, kind of like a stock take of a particular area. Careful notes are made of the abundance and diversity of species of flora, fauna and physical states of the environment such as temperature, human impacts, etc. All this information is collated into a database and then processed, analysed and finally used to develop a variety of maps which portray scientific results onto satellite images in a clear and effective manner. Maps may indicate key areas of biodiversity, areas heavily impacted by sedimentation or areas which are priority sites for protection. 

Once the data has been processed, we are in a position to identify areas that are key to conserve and allow life to be sustained on the reefs and forest: The satellite image below shows you what a 2-year management plan may look like.

A two-year management plan for the Mamanucas. Proposed areas to protect in year one are in buff and those for year two are in red.

We then work with our partner organisations, governments & NGO's to implement management proposals to protect these key target areas and help sustain the livelihoods of the communities dependent on them. Successful implementation relies heavily on the capacity training of local people through CCC’s Scholarship Programmes . Once Coral Cay leaves, it is the communities who take over our work and become the stewards of reef and rainforest conservation which is so central to the preservation of these valuable natural resources.
This formula has proven successful time and time again over the last 23 years. For more specific examples of our conservation successes in marine and rainforest conservation, see our Achievements >> & Case Studies >> section.