Austin is one of the worlds first pioneers in ‘Coral Gardening’. He is a leading expert in the most effective ways to restore coral degradation on reefs in the Caribbean and Pacific and incredibly passionate about the important role coral reefs play for our entire planet.
Austin’s talk locates coral reefs at the frontline in the battle against the effects of climate change. He argues our reefs are the most sensitive system to its effects so if we can save the reefs we can save the planet.
Dr Austin Bowden-Kerby is recognised as one of the worlds pioneers of ‘Coral Gardening’. He has spent many years providing community workshops and establishing coral nurseries across the Pacific and Caribbean.
Raised in the Pacific, Austin has been married for 36 years and has four children and six grandchildren. A Fiji citizen, he operates a 37 acre permaculture farm and hatchery for climate adapted chickens and runs a small not-for-profit organisation in Fiji called ‘SELF: Sustainable Environmental Livelihoods for the Future’. SELF works with communities on coral restoration, coral reef management, the promotion of free range chickens as alternative protein to fish to support no-fishing areas.
Austin’s work has been the focus of three BBC TV documentaries. He is also winner of the prestigious National Geographic Ashoka Changemakers Award for the Environment in 2011.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
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