# Seeing the forest for the coral trees: involvement and perceptions of reef threats among coral restoration volunteers in Roatan, Honduras

## TL;DR

This study explores the motivations and knowledge of volunteers in coral restoration in Honduras, finding that they are more aware of threats like carbon emissions and gain significant learning from their involvement.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into volunteer perceptions and learning outcomes in coral restoration, which can inform global conservation initiatives.

## Key findings

- Volunteers and control divers did not differ in perceived contribution to coral health protection.
- Volunteers were more than twice as likely to highlight reducing carbon emissions as critical for coral health.
- Participation in restoration efforts significantly increased volunteers' knowledge of coral conservation.

## Abstract

Despite the global expansion of coral restoration initiatives that depend on volunteer divers in supporting these programs, research exploring their motivations, sentiments and knowledge remains scarce. This study employed a mixed-methods analysis of surveys (n = 83) and interviews (n = 15) of a heterogeneous population of coral restoration volunteers and a control group of divers in Roatan, Honduras to explore these aspects. Experienced coral restoration volunteers did not perceive their contributions to coral health protection as being greater than control group non-volunteer divers, despite displaying a deeper understanding of the threats to coral reefs. Notably, both new volunteers prior to training and experienced restoration volunteers were more than twice as likely as control divers to highlight reducing carbon emissions as critical for coral health. While volunteer divers exhibit a strong baseline awareness and concern for coral reef threats, they report that participation in restoration efforts leads to significant learning gains regarding coral conservation. The insights gained from the motivations and learning outcomes of volunteers in coral restoration in Roatan may inform similar initiatives globally, potentially impacting a wide range of volunteer-based ecosystem restoration programs and diver-involved projects, thereby enhancing volunteer engagement and educational outcomes in environmental conservation efforts.