Tara is a scientific schooner crossing the oceans since 2003 to study and increasing the understanding of the impact of climate change and the ecological crisis on our oceans. For its 11th expedition, called Tara Pacific, Tara has set sail for the Pacific region and the south-east Asia, aiming at increasing our understanding on coral reefs biodiversity, and their evolution as they are facing big environmental changes. As part of this two and a half years expedition, Tara will be studying french Polynesia’s water for a month and a half !
To benefit from Tara’s short stay on Moorea on the 3rd of October, 8 classes were invited to discover the schooner and the research activities undertaken onboard. The transportation costs were paid by our organisation for 6 of these classes, to ensure that as many Moorean children as possible could discover the schooner. Children and youth (197 in total) learnt on the management and functioning of the schooner with a skipper and on the research methods with scientists. They then went on a tour of the boat. They were all delighted by this experience which allowed them to get a good idea of the crew’s unsual lifestyle, and to get conscious about the importance of research on coral reefs especially with increasing challenges faced by coral reefs all around the world.
