On World Ocean’s Day, the planet takes a look beneath the blue waters that cover 70% of its surface. Unfortunately, that view has changed in the recent years with the increase of climate change, the decrease in ocean biodiversity, and the loss of ocean habitats, including the beautiful “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs. But there is hope!
The Plant a Million Corals Foundation was founded and led by Dr. David E. Vaughan to promote coral restoration using his discovery of micro-fragmentation, a process of cutting corals into small pieces and growing them under optimal conditions to produce multiple fast-growing and resilient corals. With micro-fragmentation and coral reskinning, there is the capability to grow and essentially resurrect, within 2 to 5 years, corals that took between 25 to 1000 years to grow in nature. Corals like Elkhorn and Staghorn, which were the first corals added to the Endangered Species List in 2006, can potentially be restored to their original population using this technology through the Plant a Million Corals Foundation and other partner organizations. Dr. Vaughan says, “People think that we’ve ruined this planet with technology, but, with technology, we can bring it back.”
To ensure that this technology is available to those that can most benefit, the Plant a Million Corals Foundation has developed Coral Restoration Units (CRUs) that eliminate the cost prohibitive nature of large scale and expensive land-based nurseries. These CRUs are being developed to be transportable, customizable, and in some cases, energy self sufficient. The first 3 CRUs have been funded and are being developed for deployment to the Caribbean, with at least one utilizing solar power to be off the electrical grid. The equipment, while essential, is not the only technology being transported. Each CRU will be accompanied by PAMCF who will conduct a workshop with the receiving entity to ensure its success. By transferring the expertise of micro fragmentation to an organization or community, we can exponentially increase the impact of coral restoration on the planet, while allowing those most impacted by the efforts to take an active role.
This technology transfer is not exclusive to workshops. The newly published book, “Active Coral Restoration: Techniques for a Changing Planet”, edited by Dr. David E. Vaughan, highlights not only techniques for coral restoration, but includes multiple case studies which show successful programs around the world. This resource brings coral restoration techniques from the field into the classroom, laboratory, and even the home. In his forward, Philippe Cousteau declares, “in some ways it is more than an exploration about active coral reef restoration; it is a guide for humanity to remind us that through innovation and determination, we can play an active role in returning the ocean to abundance.”
Every day, millions of people flock to the ocean, to feed their families, test their own limits, or simply for leisure. By looking beneath, we start to witness a whole new world, hidden just below the surface. This new world is changing, but with our help, we can restore it back to the incredible resource it was.
The Plant a Million Corals Foundation, led by Dr. David E. Vaughan, is based in Summerland Key, Florida, with a global mission. Through workshops, project design, mobile labs, and community education, the Plant a Million Corals Foundation will further their mission of coral restoration. Together, we can turn the tide of our oceans by saving our coral reefs.
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For more information about the Plant a Million Corals Foundation, please visit their website at www.plantamillioncorals.org or contact Dee Dee Vaughan, Director of Communications and Development for the Plant a Million Corals Foundation at plantamillioncorals@gmail.com or (772) 216-0391.
