That’s the vision of Livingseas Foundation: an organisation based in Bali on a mission to rewild coastal and marine ecosystems. By reconnecting local communities to the unique underwater ecosystems, building love and interconnectedness, they are creating a bedrock for marine life and resilience to come surging back.
Inspired by the patient, persistent return of Nature
When Leon Boey founded the Livingseas Foundation, he drew inspiration from the Forest Man of India, who single-handedly planted a forest on a remote river island. The philosophy is the same: to restore what’s been lost, patiently and persistently. Only this time, the trees are corals, and the forest is under the sea.
The Livingseas Foundation was established in 2023, but work on restoring the reefs had already began in 2019. Since then, the team has built Bali’s largest coral restoration site, which, in late 2025, stretches over 6,400 m² and contains more than 7,500 reef structures. Their goal: to restore five hectares of reef habitat along the Padangbai–Amuk Bay coastline – a hotspot for divers to get a glimpse of giant Moray Eels, Seahorses and Sharks alike -, transforming once-damaged seabeds into thriving underwater ecosystems. Today, this reef is the second largest of its kind in Indonesia and the largest restored coral reef in Bali, and the Coral Restoration Team consists mostly of young adolescents from the community who actively work on planting and maintaining the reef.
Connecting People to Underwater Life
In 2023, Livingseas launched its Coral Pontoon, a floating classroom and dive base. Anchored above the restoration site, the pontoon lets visitors learn about coral ecology, plant fragments, and witness restoration work firsthand. Sights on a global horizon: electrifying the pontoon with solar power to run underwater cameras and drones, sharing a real-time 360° view of coral restoration with the world.
In 2024, 1,743 participants joined their Experiential Learning Programs. The participants included preschoolers in “Curious Corals” workshops, university students and corporate teams, all encouraged to dive in and plant new reefs.
Recognition and Impact
The world has taken notice. In November 2024, Livingseas earned second place at Singapore’s BlueWater Hero Awards, presented by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, who reminded everyone: “Without the ocean, none of us could exist.” The award helped fund an additional 100 m² of reef, fueling an even greater ambition.
That ambition is already visible beneath the waves. In mid 2025, Livingseas hit a milestone of 300,000 corals planted, with a 98% survival rate in the first six months. Marine life has exploded: schools of fish species now swirl through the new reef, two juvenile Whitetip Reef Sharks have made it home, and even Dolphins and Barracudas have returned to Padangbai’s blue waters.
Check out their 2024 Annual Report to see those numbers come alive..
How does Coral Restoration Work?
Livingseas works with an innovative tool: the MARRS Reef Star structure – a hexagonal steel structure coated with resin and sand that serves as an artificial substrate for up to 18 coral fragments.
Day 1: the structures are anchored close together on the seabed to maximize coral density with approximately 18 cm coral fragments.
6 months in: the coral has grown firmly to the structures.
2 years in: during which a mixture of love, maintenance and upkeep has kept these corals alive and thriving, the metal structure is no longer visible, a reef has been created and forms a shelter for life!
In the below images, you can check out the amazing growth of corals over 4 years – another reminder that rewilding sees rapid change.
A Future Full of Coral
Livingseas isn’t stopping. Their 2026 goal is to reach 400,000 corals planted and to expand their work to Candidasa, where they’re racing to rescue coral before a government beach project damages the reef. With science, heart, and a growing network of supporters, they’re proving that ocean recovery is possible when people care deeply enough to act.
From the surface, it might look like calm blue water. But below it lies a living testament to hope, collaboration, and persistence.
Welcome to Livingseas. Dive in, and be part of the change.
Sylvia Earle