Key Biscayne Reef Restoration

Staghorn corals (Acropora cervicornis) are important coral reef engineers, providing essential habitat for many other reef organisms. Unfortunately, coral populations have drastically declined and are threatened with extinction due to climate change, pollution, disease, overfishing, and habitat destruction. Staghorn corals have been designated on the IUCN red list as “critically endangered,” and are listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.  The National Marine Fisheries Service has designated Florida as one of four critical habitats in the world for staghorn coral.

While populations of staghorn coral still exist throughout Florida and the Florida Keys, they are small, fragmented, and genetically isolated. Without the flow of genes between populations, they grow weaker over time and are less able to cope with changes in the environment.

The University of Miami’s (UM) coral restoration lab (Lirman Lab) focuses on
propagating threatened Caribbean staghorn coral in underwater coral nurseries. Nursery-reared corals are then out-planted to local reefs to enhance staghorn populations and promote natural recovery.

Out of the Lirman Lab came Rescue A Reef, a citizen science project designed to support coral reef research and restoration activities through outreach, education, and engagement. Their mission is to educate and engage the local community, increase scientific literacy in coastal and coral reef conservation, and foster ocean stewardship.

The area around Key Biscayne and Virginia Key is part of the designated critical habitat of staghorn coral, and therefore its protection is paramount.  The aim of this and future trips are to get the Key Biscayne community involved in awareness, protection, and enhancement of their surrounding local environment.