Biologists From Costa Rica’s Keto Foundation Certified as Reef Check EcoDiver Trainers

By Keto Foundation

From July 18-23, 2009, five biologists from the Keto Foundation were trained as the first Reef Check EcoDiver Trainers in Costa Rica by Dr. Ruben Torres, Director of Reef Check Dominican Republic. The Keto Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on the study of biology, management and conservation of marine and coastal resources.

This is the first stage within their community-based coral reef monitoring project in Costa Rica in which Reef Check and REEF monitoring protocols will involve the coastal inhabitants’ participation through volunteer reef monitoring. The project’s objective is to establish a monitoring network of coral reefs with community volunteers led by trained scientists, and monitor indefinitely the health of reefs in the marine protected area of Caño Island Biological Reserve, in the Southern Pacific of Costa Rica.

Fundacion Keto would like to thank RAMSAR, Duke Center for Marine Conservation, and Oak Foundation for their support of this project. For more information please visit: www.fundacionketo.org.