PwC Bermuda has announced a five-year commitment to support the Living Reefs Foundation, providing professional services and financial assistance aimed at protecting and restoring the island’s coral reef ecosystems.

The professional services firm said its support will include annual assurance service hours over the next five years, along with $60,000 in funding for the foundation’s Coral Garden initiative. The funding will help develop a snorkel trail in Castle Harbour and help purchase a new engine for the organisation’s research boat.

Marisa Savage, a partner at PwC Bermuda, said the initiative aligns with the company’s focus on climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

She said the firm hoped its financial contribution, equipment support and professional expertise would help the foundation expand its conservation efforts and protect Bermuda’s marine environment for future generations.

The Living Reefs Foundation works to rehabilitate damaged coral reefs and promote sustainable marine practices through research, restoration projects and public engagement.

Samia Sarkis, founder and chief executive of the foundation, said the support would strengthen the organisation’s ability to conduct research and expand its Coral Garden Initiative.

She said the new boat engine would provide a more reliable and efficient means of carrying out research, while the snorkel trail project would help raise public awareness of the importance of coral reefs to Bermuda’s marine ecosystem.

Dr Sarkis said the foundation had already demonstrated the viability of its coral restoration work through the successful cultivation of seven coral species, growing demand for Coral Garden eco-tours and a project to plant corals to help protect the Causeway from hurricane damage. She added that the project achieved a 98 per cent survival rate over a 12-month period.