Learn How to Plant Corals Organically on Usukan Island, Borneo
Learn How to Plant Corals Organically on Usukan Island, Borneo
- Malaysia
- Kota Kinabalu
About Program
Usukan Island's coral reefs have lost 70–80% of their coral coverage from blast fishing and heat wave bleaching — and we're rebuilding them from scratch. As a Coral Ranger, you'll work directly alongside Monica Chin, our lead instructor of the organic coral propagation method that uses natural ocean-derived substrates instead of metal frames and man-made materials — a methodology we used for nearly a decade. Your days include coral nursery maintenance, underwater monitoring dives (if you are certified), and reef surveys that feed into real long-term restoration targets. This is a working conservation centre on a living island — not a resort activity. We run intentionally small: maximum 6 volunteers at any time, so every person has real responsibility, not a supporting role. You'll leave with PADI-level dive exposure, hands-on restoration skills, and a conservation portfolio built on actual field data from Usukan Island.
Program Highlights
- Learn How to propagate corals organically instead of using man-made materials and structures — no metal frames, no shortcuts, developed on this reef
- Two rest days a week that are entirely yours — snorkel, explore the island, sit by a bonfire, or do nothing. You earned it
- Wake up on a protected island in Borneo, dive or snorkel into the ocean before breakfast, and spend your mornings restoring a reef that was nearly wiped out
- Leave with an SSI-recognized certificate & real field credentials you can add to your CV
Video and Photos
Program Impact
Since 2022, we've hosted over 200 volunteers from 38+ countries, maintaining a 4.8 average rating across the board. Our coral restoration work has propagated over 10,945 coral fragments across 20+ nurseries, achieving a 70% coral survival rate and impacting 735 metres of reef. Alongside that, we've made an impact across 45 acres of forest — and we're just getting started.