Islander Bianca Narvaez’s love for coral conservation has landed her the opportunity to become the new part-time Community Outreach Coordinator of the non-profit organization Fragments of Hope, Belize. Narvaez had been volunteering with Fragments of Hope for around two years. The organization, based in the Placencia peninsula in southern Belize, said Narvaez brings a fresh and youthful approach to their projects and community engagement that will be shared through their social media platforms.
Bianca Narvaez is a talented young lady, friendly, optimistic, and a lover of nature who grew up in San Pedro Town. While volunteering with Fragments of Hope, she took the Coral Replenishment Workshop training in 2022, further increasing her knowledge of the reef. “I am happy to be a part of a team that is committed to enhancing the skills of our local community members and working towards the restoration of our barrier reef.” Narvaez shared. “I’m excited to grow with Fragments of Hope and learn more about conservation and restoration.”
Fragments of Hope is a community-based organization in Placencia. They focus on restoring coral reef habitats and advocate for the sustainable management of associated habitats. Lisa Carne founded the organization. She is no stranger to San Pedro and has been on the island several times, sharing her knowledge of her experience in reef restoration at Laughing Bird Caye near Placencia. The efforts to restore the reef in that area started in 2006. To date, more than 49,000 nursery-grown coral fragments have been successfully developed.
Coral nurseries have also been placed in and around the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The nursery-grown corals from this site have been used to replenish areas in Hol Chan and the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve. The nurseries are expected to continue providing coral fragments to replenish degraded reefs affected by bleaching and diseases.
Fragment of Hopes advocates with partners like the Belize Fisheries Department for healthier reefs. The organization has become a globally recognized coral restoration expert following years of hard work, dedication, and persistence.
To learn more about the non-profit group, visit their web page at www.fragmentsofhope.org or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FragmentsofHopeBelize.
