In recognition of Earth Month, were catching up with Sustainable Surf-a nonprofit that harnesses the power and appeal of surf culture to protect ocean health and reverse climate change. They combine the power of the surf community with science to support global environmental programs like SeaTrees and the ECOBOARD Project.
In 2021, we highlighted SeaTrees' kelp forest restoration project, which you can learn about here. Today, were sharing updates on the SeaTrees program. SeaTrees directly supports communities and scientists who protect and regenerate blue carbon coastal ecosystems by planting mangrove trees, restoring kelp forests, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and conserving coastal watersheds.
SeaTrees leads projects in the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, Kenya, Australia, Cambodia, Colombia, Portugal and Guinea-Bissau-and their goal is to support 100 blue carbon projects by 2030.
In Bali, Indonesia, SeaTrees plants coral and restores the coral reef system around Nusa Penida Island-working alongside their project partner, Ocean Gardner, and local divers and community members.
Haley Haggerstone, Sustainable Surfs Partnerships Manager, takes us behind the scenes in Indonesia.
GoPro: Tell us about your work in Bali.
Haley: Were restoring the degraded coral reefs on Nusa Penida Island in Bali, Indonesia. The conservation of these ecosystems is essential to coastal protection, scientific research, fishing, eco-tourism and more. Restoring these reefs will provide habitat for more than 500 species of fish, many of which are currently considered vulnerable to extinction.
This work is vital because coral reefs are threatened globally, and weve already lost about half of the worlds coral reefs over the last 30 years. More than 60% of the remaining reefs are threatened by human activity, with Indonesia being one of the largest areas of vulnerability.
Known as the rainforests of the sea, coral reefs are the largest living structures on earth and support 25% of marine life.
How are you using GoPro cameras in this work?
Before using GoPro cameras in our coral reef restoration projects, we could not accurately monitor the progress of the restoration work and the long-term survival of the coral. Traditional photogrammetry requires neutrally-buoyant DSLR camera rigs, which are too expensive and technically challenging for the local restoration partners to operate and maintain.
Working with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, we developed a new technique to create 3D models of the coral reef. Using GoPro cameras mounted on an inexpensive, lightweight rig, its easy for our divers to swim along the reef and capture images of the restoration sites. Scientists at Scripps process these images to create a 3D model using 10 billion data points and use this model to remotely evaluate and monitor the success of the reef restoration project.
Using GoPro cameras in this way has the potential to revolutionize coral reef restoration science by unlocking coral reef mapping at scale around the world.
How do you restore coral reefs?
We grow coral fragments in the shallow waters of the Ped Acropora Coral Nursery. These fragments grow and bond to biodegradable ropes until they are large enough to be transplanted to the restoration sites. This innovative technique, adapted from a traditional Balinese method used to grow seaweed, ensures that the coral fragments will grow to be appropriately spaced and the ecosystem will thrive in the years to come.
When we cultivate the coral, a snorkeling team of Balinese men and women from the local fishing community transplants the newly grown fragments onto the reef, carefully dropping them at the restoration site on the ocean floor and securing them in place.
Next, divers prepare the restoration site by hammering stakes into the ground to secure the rope lines in place on the reef without the fragments touching the ocean floor until they grow large enough to withstand the harsh rubble environment below.
Planting these fragments amongst healthy reefs allows the ecosystem to thrive and helps marine life return to the area.
How is the local community involved in the project?
Ocean Gardener, our project partner, employs the local Balinese fishing community to restore the reef and monitor its regeneration until it can survive on its own. This work creates 26 jobs for local villagers and improves the livelihood of 100 people.
After divers and snorkelers plant the coral, the local community monitors the restoration and documents the reefs progress with GoPro cameras.
Is the program working?
Yes, the program is thriving. In 2021, we planted 6,000 fragments of coral, and in May 2022, we expanded the project to a new restoration site in Crystal Bay and are planting another 6,000 coral fragments.
How can the GoPro community help?
You can get involved with SeaTrees by going to our website and donating to plant a sea tree of your choice and taking direct action to plant a mangrove tree, a coral fragment, or restore kelp forests and coastal watersheds.
You can donate:
$25 to grow one piece of coral in Indonesia
$20 to restore 10 square feet of watershed in Hawaii
$10 to plant 10 mangrove trees in Kenya
$10 to plant 5 mangrove trees in Mexico
Follow SeaTrees on Sustainable Surfs social media channels: Instagram, facebook and Twitter.
GoPro for a Cause-our nonprofit partnership and donation program-supports eligible nonprofits to varying degrees with in-kind or cash donations and employee volunteer time. You can learn more about getting involved with GoPro for a Cause here.
Most recent headlines
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
16/10/2025
SVG Sit-Down: FUJIFILM Execs on GFX ETERNA 55 Camera, Importance of Shallow-Dept...
16/10/2025
Squash's Most Ambitious Broadcast Production To Be Deployed at Comcast Busin...
16/10/2025
Main Street Sports Group Inks Deal With Omaha Productions, Launches Original-Con...
16/10/2025
A Historic Precursor? FIFA, HBS, DAZN Offer an Inside Look at Production of FIFA...
16/10/2025
Prime Video Offers Sneak Peak at New NBA on Prime StudioThe massive 13,000-sq-ft, two-story studio features a LED regulation half court and hoopBy Jason Dachman...
16/10/2025
SVG Remote Production Forum Draws Record Crowd for Visit to PGA TOUR Studios, De...
16/10/2025
BitFire's Ben Grafchik on How Growing Cloud Workflows Are Impacting the Live...
16/10/2025
AI technology is advancing quickly, bringing both new creative possibilities and...
16/10/2025
In 2017, Imani Ellis launched CultureCon, a conference that's become a must-attend event for more than 10,000 diverse creatives and Black professionals to c...
16/10/2025
It might still be a little early to break out the tinsel and mistletoe, but Spotify's already queuing up some holiday magic. This year's Spotify Singles...
16/10/2025
Earlier this year, our in-house publishing imprint, Spotify Audiobooks, put out ...
16/10/2025
VAMPIRE has been integrated onto GM Defenses Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), providing a mobile solution to effectively and affordably counter small drone threat...
16/10/2025
The AgilePod mounted on the host aircraft....
16/10/2025
60% say infotainment systems are a critical purchasing or leasing consideration,...
16/10/2025
NEW YORK The Broadcasters Foundation of America has launched its 2025 Year-End Giving Campaign, which seeks to raise donations from tax-deductible personal and ...
16/10/2025
Roku has added several new features to its user interface and operating system meant to make it easier to discover and personalize content, the company said....
16/10/2025
NEW YORK CNN has announced that its All Access subscription tier will launch in the U.S. on Oct. 28, providing audiences with a centralized destination for CNN&...
16/10/2025
Student Spotlight: Alan Villanueva The graduate student and saxophonist, who performed on Natalia Lafourcades Latin Grammy-nominated Live at Carnegie Hall alb...
16/10/2025
The XR Sports Alliance (XRSA) has announced the third cohort of members. The new members include Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Vegas Golden Kni...
16/10/2025
NEW YORK The Broadcasters Foundation of America has launched its 2025 Year-End Giving Campaign which seeks to raise donations from tax-deductible personal and c...
16/10/2025
NEW YORK Australia's Nine Network and the NHL today announced a media partnership that will bring the world's premier professional ice hockey league to ...
16/10/2025
Parks Associates has released new data showing that nearly half (45%) of U.S. internet homes watch free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services and 89% of U.S...
16/10/2025
TROY, Mich. -New data from J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Study shows that residential wireless internet providers are growing...
16/10/2025
TV's most charming detective drama * Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investi...
16/10/2025
Back to All News
Thailand's Legendary Outlaw Returns: Tee Yai: Born to be ...
16/10/2025
Back to All News
Christmas Is Just Around The Corner: Home For Christmas Season...
16/10/2025
Back to All News
Trist n Ulloa Stars in El crimen de Pazos, the New Netflix Ser...
16/10/2025
ABS Completes Redomiciliation to Dubai Development Authority as Part of Strategi...
16/10/2025
This Saturday October 18 Katja Mia will burst onto the radio airwaves for the first time as she joins 2FM. Katja will be standing in for Bl thnaid Treacy on Sat...
16/10/2025
This October, RT is delighted to support Wexford Festival Opera, Babor International Arts Festival for Children, Open House Dublin and 36 other arts and cultu...
16/10/2025
GeForce NOW is more than just a platform to stream fresh games every week - it offers celebrations for the gamers who make it epic, with member rewards to sweet...
15/10/2025
Across the world, early-career reporters are interrogating systems that shape daily life, from mortuaries and classrooms to the corridors of legal education and...
15/10/2025
St. Louis Blues Pay Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in New Pregame Open VideoThe NHL franchise worked with production firms 2WEI and 4th Floor CreativeBy Mark J Burns,...
15/10/2025
Cobalt Digital, G3DVu, Proxima Vision, and Telos Alliance Renew Premier Sponsors...
15/10/2025
By Paige Bethmann
Before my grandmother passed away in 2019, I went to visit her in the hospital where she'd been for a few weeks. When I arrived, the nurs...
15/10/2025
Two years ago, Spotify set out to grow the entire publishing industry by making ...
15/10/2025
People turn to DJ for a listening experience that feels personal, dynamic, and j...
15/10/2025
Las personas recurren a DJ para vivir una experiencia de escucha personal, din m...
15/10/2025
Rock legend Bruce Springsteen and luminary actor Jeremy Allen White came togethe...
15/10/2025
At Spotify, we're all about supporting rising talent and helping them connec...
15/10/2025
New SBS Documentary Series THE CANCER KILLERS Premieres 4 November on SBS & SBS ...
15/10/2025
SBS celebrates the Festivals of Lights with bold, illuminating stories across th...
15/10/2025
One of humanity's most profound questions continues: Is there any place in our galaxy suitable for life beyond Earth? NASA intends to find out, with the hel...
15/10/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
15/10/2025
Scality, a global leader in cyber-resilient storage software for the AI era, today announced the advancement of its comprehensive AI ecosystem certification pro...
15/10/2025
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today unveiled key highlights of the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, scheduled for Feb. 15 19 at the Westin Rancho Mirage Go...
15/10/2025
At NAB Show New York 2025 (Stand 244), Interra Systems will showcase the future of media QC, monitoring, and captioning, highlighting its award-winning, AI- and...
15/10/2025
Grass Valley today announced that RMC BFM, part of the CMA-CGM Group and France's third-largest private media group, has chosen Grass Valley's productio...
In recognition of Earth Month, were catching up with Sustainable Surf-a nonprofit that harnesses the power and appeal of surf culture to protect ocean health and reverse climate change. They combine the power of the surf community with science to support global environmental programs like SeaTrees and the ECOBOARD Project.
