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Replanting the damaged Coral Gardens of Hikkaduwa
Rainer Nedwed a German national and a teacher by profession, has long been captivated by the beauty of the Coral Gardens at Hikkaduwa. Being a teacher he knew the environmental value of the corals, and has endevoured to play a role in protecting corals.
Rainer Nedwed
He was in Hikkaduwa when the tsunami hit the country on 26 December 2004. Two days after the tsunami hit, he began clearing away the debris that covered the corals after of the tsunami. Spending nearly 6 hours a day, he has cleared nearly eighteen lorry-loads of debris which covered the corals.
“However, much of the coral had died” he said.
“It took me three months, working 8 hours a day to clear the debris and sand”. He also collected broken coral which had washed ashore as well as as pieces of coral he found while diving, and replanted them on the sea bed, allowing them to grow for 7 years.
Rainer has returned annually to Hikkaduwa staying for three months at a time. During these visits he spends around six hours daily clearing plastic, damaged sections of torn fishnets and sand which had settled on the corals.
There is a false belief he said, that corals cannot be regrown.
Today nearly seven years after he began to replant coral at the famous Hikkaduwa Coral Gardens, his efforts have borne fruit. He has been able to regrow corals in an area of about 30 perches.
According to Rainer, he has now got to protect the newly replanted coral from tourists (both local and foreign) who tend to walk on the newly grown corals, damaging them.
Corals, he says, are a unique creation of nature –these corals could be seen in shallow sea water in the tropical countries and others with a moderate climate.
According to Rainer, Sri Lanka is prominent among other countries boasting of corals, for its famous Hikkaduwa Coral Gardens.
Visitors have a tendency to break off pieces of coral
Of the 183 specific kinds of coral found in Sri Lanka,170 varieties are found in this Garden. Of them 25 kinds are endemic to this area spreading well over 25 acres.
Affected by the hot currents (El-nino) and Tsunami that occured in 2004, 90 % of the corals in Hikkaduwa had died. As the required temperature for their growth (28 – 30 centigrade) had increased upto 34 degrees, a considerable amount of corals had died.
Many of corals also perished as a result of harmful materials settling on them.
Rainer said “I love the corals at Hikkaduwa more than my self.
“I have been trying to save them for about 25 years. Unfortunately, many people in this country are not interested in trying to protect them.’
I proved that corals can be regrown. My experiment in regrowing corals on 30 perches has been 100% successful. In this plot you can see different varieties of sea creatures like shrimps, prawns,octopuses, gal gulla among colourful corals.’
I extend an open invitation to both local and foreign visitors to come and see the beauty of the corals. But walking on corals destroys them.
Some visitors break pieces of coral and take them away. Still others remove the moss on them to feed the fish and turtle living around. Yet others try to feed fish and turtle with bits of bread, which is harmful. Some people even touch the turtles too. I try my best to stop such deeds.’
When they walk on the corals I used to warn them with an international signal using a whistle.
But both locals as well as foreigners are angered when I do this. Some even try to attack me.
‘I have displayed warnings written in Sinhala, English, German and Russian at my own expense.
‘In Thailand, people who breach such laws are fined about Rs. 600,000/- or sentenced to imprisonment. Unfortunately in Sri Lanka the law is not implemented’, he lamented.
a wide variety of sea creatures are to be found among the corals
Hikkaduwa is famed for its famed Coral Gardens