A Day of Connection: U.S. Youth Volunteers Join Coastal Restoration Initiatives in the Dominican Republic

On July 23rd, 2025, Global Coralition and EcoSoluciones welcomed a group of 16 youth volunteers from across the United States — including Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Orleans — in collaboration with Whole Spirit Excursions (Service Retreats & Travel Excursions for the Mind, Body, & Whole Spirit). It was a meaningful day of learning, hands-on action, and connection with nature on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

The day began at the coral restoration lab hosted at Isla Academy, where the volunteers were introduced to the organizations’ coral restoration initiatives and the importance of protecting reef ecosystems. After the orientation, the group participated in the microfragmentation process, helping secure coral fragments to cement bases, photographing and cataloging them, and learning to monitor critical water conditions such as pH, temperature, and feeding, all essential steps for ensuring the corals’ health before they are returned to the sea.

Following lunch, the group traveled to La Boca beach for an afternoon coastal cleanup, collecting waste along the shoreline and contributing directly to marine conservation. Despite the intense heat and long hours, the volunteers remained energized, working together to restore the coastline.

This service experience was part of a broader coastal restoration initiative, intentionally designed to address multiple interconnected ecosystems — from coral reefs to beaches — following EcoSoluciones and Global Coralition’s holistic Ridge to Reef approach. By combining coral restoration and shoreline cleanup, the day highlighted the importance of integrated, community-driven action in protecting coastal environments and building long-term ecological resilience.

Global Coralition and EcoSoluciones are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a motivated and thoughtful group. These types of exchanges reflect the core mission of both organizations: to create regenerative experiences that connect people to the environment, to each other, and to the future they are actively helping to restore, one coral, one coastline, and one community at a time.

Together, they planted hope, not just for the reef, but for a more united and resilient world.