CRISIS & RESPONSE

ABOUT US

CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION™ IS THE LARGEST REEF RESTORATION ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD

Headquartered in Key Largo Florida, we were founded in response to the wide-spread loss of the dominant coral species on Florida's Coral Reef.

We have been working to turn the tide for this critical ecosystem since 2007.

FLORIDA'S CORAL REEF

Running from north of Miami down to Key West in the south, right on Florida’s doorstep, lies Florida's Coral Reef.

It is the third largest barrier reef in the world and the only barrier coral reef in the continental United States.

Florida's Coral Reef was once dominated by two species of reef-building coral, staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and elkhorn (Acropora palmata).

REEF IN CRISIS

Florida's Coral Reef now hosts just two percent of the populations of the once-dominant staghorn and elkhorn coral that it had in the 1970s.

These became some of the first corals to be included on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, and are both now listed as “Critically Endangered” – one step away from a listing of “Extinct in the Wild”.

OUR RESPONSE

We have developed a method for “farming” and “outplanting” colonies of staghorn and elkhorn.

By hanging finger-sized fragments of these corals to grow on Coral Trees™, we can produce colonies that are large enough to be outplanted in just six to nine months.

To date, we have now restored more than 17,500 square meters of Florida's Coral Reef.

WHAT WE DO

ANNUAL REPORTS

MEET THE TEAM

We are a small, dynamic team with a fierce passion for marine conservation.

Our specialized backgrounds and diverse experiences all contribute to a professional environment of cooperation, determination, and innovation.

STAFF

Scott Winters

CEO

Scott is a serial entrepreneur of 15 years following a career as an academic scientist. His ventures have ranged from entertainment, through consumer goods to healthcare. Highlights of his career include the development of the world’s most technologically advanced pediatric cancer center. He has served on the board of directors for multiple entrepreneurial ventures as well as international non-profits. Throughout his career he has published 2 books, over 50 technical articles and popular papers, and amassed over 750 hours of public speaking.

Scott received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in two simultaneous programs (Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity and BioInformatics and Computational Biology), received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, and is Phi Beta Kappa. Scott’s passion for ocean conservation brought him to the Florida Keys to inspire others to help save our ocean.