Reef restored: How Belize saved its beloved coral

A choppy half-hour boat ride from the mainland lies a narrow, ribbon-like island ringed with granular coral sand beaches. In the distance, the azure sky seems to meld with the cobalt waters. Along the beach, the gently lapping waves and shallows are tinged brown with native seagrass.

It’s an idyllic setting. But the island’s real draw lies hidden beneath the waves.

Under the clear, calm water, large outcroppings of chocolate-colored elkhorn and staghorn coral are entangled in a pastel wash of coral fans and sponges. Queen triggerfish, with tails like neon-blue sickles and pointed, skeptical faces, mingle with schools of yellow-tailed, horse-eye jacks. Occasionally a marine giant such as a spotted eagle ray or loggerhead turtle swims by. It’s a tranquil, otherworldly scene, like an Impressionist painting brought to life.

A decade or two ago, this scene would have

A system in crisis‘Giving nature a boost’Reevaluating priorities