Can Coral Reef Restoration Programmes Facilitate Changes in Environmental Attitudes? A Case Study on a Rural Fisher Community in North Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

There is currently limited research assessing the ecological potential of coral restoration programmes of habitat enhancement and restoration of benthic and mobile populations for influencing the attitudes (and subsequent behaviours) of the communities where they are based. Our qualitative study investigated the impact of a coral reef restoration programmes on local environmental attitudes in a rural fishing community in north Bali, Indonesia. We conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals and multi-stakeholder focus groups (n = 31) in Tianyar Village, where the NGO ‘North Bali Reef Conservation’ (‘Yowana Bhakti Segara’) was based. Our results highlight several factors that influenced environmental behaviours, including perceived value of coral reefs (e.g.,changes in fishing yield), drivers of support for coral reef restoration (e.g., local leaders’ influence) and barriers to coral reef restoration support (e.g., lack of investment). Overall, our data indicate that the restoration programme has influenced positive environmental attitudes within the community through improvements in waste management, increased support for restoration work, and the establishment of new environmental regulations. Based on our results, we make five recommendations: (1) continuing environmental education within the community, (2) strengthening regulations and improving enforcement, (3) increasing financial and logistical support for waste management and ecotourism, (4) continuing the construction and deployment of artificial reefs, ensuring ‘best practice’ recommendations are followed, and (5) utilising the influence of local leaders to create positive environmental behaviours.