Schön! alive 3 | underwater love

Where it all begins.
A local holds up a piece of coral.
image. Courtesy of Coral Gardeners
coralgardeners.org

We’ve seen all the evidence – from TikToks showing bleak underwater landscapes of bleached coral to grim news pieces depicting lifeless seabeds – and one thing is certain: our oceans are struggling. Due to rising temperatures, pollution and destructive fishing, the world has already lost half of its coral reefs. To make matters worse, recent projections suggest they could disappear entirely by 2050, so a world where coral reefs teem with life and colour seems nothing more than a fantastical dream.

For Titouan Bernicot, however, it isn’t a fantasy: it’s a mission he has passionately pursued since he was a teenager. As the founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners, Bernicot leads an inspiring movement dedicated to restoring coral reefs worldwide. Born and raised on an atoll in French Polynesia, Bernicot’s upbringing sounds like something out of an oceanic fairytale. “My parents were pearl farmers, so the ocean was my playground. I was swimming with sharks before I could even walk!” he recounts.

Read the full interview and feature now in Schön! alive 3, available in print and in our online shop.

Coral Gardeners at work.
Their efforts help restore the fragile reef ecosystem
in the tiny atoll of Ahe in French Polynesia.
photography. Noé Langronier

Mo’orea in French Polynesia.
Coral Gardeners tending to an underwater nursery
photography. Noé Langronier

Inspiring future ocean guardians.
Teaching the local kids the wonders and
importance of coral on Koh Kood, Thailand.
image. Courtesy of Coral Gardeners

Schön! alive  3, now available in print and in our online shop and at Amazon
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words. J. Bibi Cooper