Azure seas and emerald isles in Wayag Islands © Djuna Ivereigh

Last November, The Nature Conservancy organized a Rapid Ecological Assessment of the Raja Ampat Islands in Papua, Indonesia. Covering 700 nautical miles over 23 days, the team of scientists set out to complete four expeditions while traveling on a 130-foot wooden ketch known as the Pindito.

Named after the four sultans who presided there, Raja Ampat is considered the world's bull's-eye for coral biodiversity. It is home to more than 1,000 fish species, 101 of which were previously unknown in Raja Ampat and four that are new to all of Indonesia. With these discoveries, it’s no wonder that the Conservancy's lead marine scientist Rod Salm calls it, "the heart of marine biodiversity."

Read more about the expedition to Raja Ampat in the Fall 2003 issue of Nature Conservancy magazine. Support The Nature Conservancy and receive your copy of Nature Conservancy magazine.

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Science Behind the Journey
Rapid Ecological Assessment is a system employed by Nature Conservancy scientists to assess biodiversity in some of the most ecologically diverse regions on earth.  Through the collection of data, scientists are able to determine areas of ecological importance and initiate conservation action.

In Raja Ampat, scientists evaluated the land and water as well as interacted with indigenous peoples to determine the area’s ecological significance. The data collected will be used to produce landscape analysis, maps, and ultimately a comprehensive conservation action plan.

Rescue the Reef® Program
Coral reefs are places of both great natural beauty and ecological importance yet they are one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. In fact, if the current rate of destruction continues, 70% of the world's coral reefs will be destroyed within our lifetimes.

In an effort to protect the earth’s coral reefs, The Nature Conservancy has developed the Rescue the Reef® program supported by member contributions.