top of page
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.

1200px-Floridakeys-nasa.jpg

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”.

3B1A8717-Edit-2.jpg
3B1A2835.jpg

OUR RESPONSE

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

 

By hanging fi