http://www.coralrestoration.org/gallery/
Coral Restoration Foundation
Beginning
A nursery began, in 2000, when the daughter of Ken Nedimyer had a need for a 4-H Youth Development school project. They decided to tend to coral fragments that had been displaced to Nedimyer's property. Three different types of reef-building staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) corals, were propagated. After a time, Ken Nedimyer donated the newly established staghorn to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for the purpose of restoration. A grant was offered by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the money was used to create the largest staghorn nursery. The goal was to use the coral nursery to replant the Key Largo reefs after a year [D].
The goal of the Coral Restoration Foundation is to cultivate staghorn and elkhorn corals and transplant them in areas that need restoration without harming the existing areas. They do this through the means of off shore coral nurseries that have proven to be inexpensive and easy to replicate [J].
The nurseries contain within them genetically diverses corals that fends against the eradication of a species if a traumatic event takes place. The nurseries have proven to be invaluable in replanting decimated areas.
The goal of the Coral Restoration Foundation is to cultivate staghorn and elkhorn corals and transplant them in areas that need restoration without harming the existing areas. They do this through the means of off shore coral nurseries that have proven to be inexpensive and easy to replicate [J].
The nurseries contain within them genetically diverses corals that fends against the eradication of a species if a traumatic event takes place. The nurseries have proven to be invaluable in replanting decimated areas.
Techniques
Fragments of genetically diverse coral are collected from the wild and placed in the nursery. These two to three inch pieces are allowed to grow for around eight months before they are transplanted [A].
Line Nursery
Line nurseries are made from two lines connected to bouys and then are are strung horizontally. Staghorn is labeled and strung with wire or monofilament. Genetic and growth information is recorded for each coral. After a growth period of 8 months the corals are large enough to be broken into fragments to create more colonies or to be transplanted [A].
Tree Nursery
Tree nurseries are constructed with strait pipes attached with branches connected to a float. This ingenuous design, created by the Coral Restoration Foundation, is able to withstand storms. The trees are free to move with the ocean's currents protecting the coral from the turbulence. Tree nurseries are also cost effective and easy to replicate [A].
Disk Nursery
The tree and line nurseries provide large enough corals to fragment a second time. The small pieces are glued with apoxi onto a disk nursery and allowed to grow for another 8 months before transplantation [A].
Success
Durring the time that Ken Nedimyer began the Key Largo-based Coral Restoration Foundation. On March 5, 2012 he was named the CNN Hero for his dedication to restore the reefs that he loves. The one-acre nursery holds close to 23,000 clipped coral pieces.
Results
The results encouraged an expansion in 2006. More funding was added and new sites in Broward county by Nova Southeastern University, Biscayne National Park by University of Miami, and the Lower Keys by Mote Marine Laboratory. Wild corals were collected and monitored. Important surveillance entities included health, rate of growth, and the amount that survived the entire process from collection to distribution [D].
The planted sites have thus far proven successful with a 95% survival rate. Another exciting result has been that some of the species are reproducing [J].
With more funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) further expansion has continued.
The planted sites have thus far proven successful with a 95% survival rate. Another exciting result has been that some of the species are reproducing [J].
With more funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) further expansion has continued.
