This summer we strategically overhauled our Key West Coral Tree™ Nursery, adding many new trees and a lot of new coral fragments. It now holds 53 new trees and 100 genotypes! But, all of these additions mean that we need more help with nursery maintenance... So we have enlisted the help of the general public in Key West!
Our first Key West Dive Program was run through Captain's Corner dive shop. We were joined by five new dive program participants and two members from the Florida Keys Community College. During the first dive, we went to the newly renovated Key West Coral Tree Nursery™ and cleaned three trees. For our second dive, we went to the reef site Marker 32, and outplanted 60 new staghorn corals!
Rex Wells, a participant on the program from Summerland Key, Florida, said, "[It's] Good to feel like a part of the future!"
CRF Coral Crew teaching a dive program A dive program participant cleans an
participant how to outplant staghorn coral. elkhorn Coral Tree™.
Opening up our dive programs to people in Key West gives us the opportunity to reach more people than ever before. Through these dive programs, we can teach more people about why protecting our reefs is so important and it gives people the opportunity to give back to an environment that has given so much to the tourism and diving community.
Stay up to date on our website for dates. More dive programs also means more need for regular volunteers in the Key West area which you can inquire about by emailing Roxane@coralrestoration.org.
About the author
Raquel Gilliland
Raquel graduated in May from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida with a BS in Aquatic and Marine Biology. Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Raquel fell in love with the ocean at a young age and decided to move to Florida to pursue her dreams of saving the ocean. Last summer she did an internship at the Roatan Institute for Marine Scienceswhich is one of our very own CRF partners. Raquel is excited to be a part of the CRF team and looks forward to learning more about coral restoration and living life here in paradise