Hi, you're listening to cultivate
curiosity, a.
Podcast that inspires the next generation
to stay curious.
Cultivate Curiosity is brought to you by
the Emerald Coast Science Center, a
nonprofit.
Interactive science museum and steam
educational facility in Fort Walton Beach,
Florida.
This podcast is perfect for anyone curious
about the world we live in, because.
You never know what we'll talk about
next.
Hi, my name is Jacie and I'm
the Emerald Coast Science Center's social
media coordinator.
Hi, my name's Harley, I'm an educator
and the community affairs coordinator at
the Emerald Coast Science center.
Hi, I'm Diane Fraser, the director at
the Emerald Coast Science center, and today
we're going to talk about coral reef
restoration and artificial reefs.
Coral reefs, often referred to as the
rainforest of the sea, are among the
most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.
These vibrant underwater communities
provide habitat for countless marine
species, protect coastlines from erosion,
and support the livelihoods of millions of
people around the world.
However, coral reefs are facing
unprecedented threats due to human
activities and climate change, prompting
innovative conservation efforts such as
coral reef restoration and the creation of
artificial reefs.
Coral reefs are under siege from a
multitude of threats, including rising
ocean temperatures, ocean acidification,
pollution, overfishing, and destructive
fishing practices.
These stressors have led to widespread
coral bleaching events and the decline of
coral reef ecosystems worldwide.
Recognizing the urgent need to protect
these individual habitats, scientists and
conservationists have turned to coral reef
restoration as a vital tool in the
fight against reef degradation.
Coral reef restoration involves a range of
techniques aimed at rehabilitating damaged
reefs and enhancing their resilience to
future threats.
One such method is coral gardening, which
involves collecting coral fragments from
healthy reefs, cultivating them in
nurseries, and then transplanting them
onto degraded reef areas.
This approach has shown promising results
in restoring coral cover and biodiversity
in areas affected by coral bleaching and
other disturbances.
In addition to coral reef restoration
efforts, the creation of artificial reefs
has emerged as a complementary strategy
for enhancing marine biodiversity and
promoting reef resilience.
Artificial reefs serve as a man made
structure on the seafloor designed to
mimic natural reef formations or provide
elevated relief above the ocean floor.
Positioned strategically in areas lacking
natural structure, these reefs play a
vital role in enhancing habitat for marine
life, particularly in sandy expanses where
such habitat is scarce, attract fish and
other organisms, and can help relieve
pressure on natural reef systems.
Artificial reefs come in various forms,
including sunken ships, concrete
structures, and purpose built reef
modules.
These structures not only serve as
habitats for marine organisms, but also as
attractions for divers and snorkelers,
contributing to marine tourism and local
economies.
However, the design and placement of
artificial reefs require careful
consideration to ensure they are
environmentally sustainable and compatible
with existing ecosystems.
The deployment of artificial reefs is a
meticulous endeavor that involves
extensive planning and preparation.
Securing grant funds, contracting,
permitting and ensuring environmental
compliance are just a few of the
steps involved in bringing these
artificial habitats to life.
Before deployment, each reef undergoes
thorough cleaning and inspection to remove
any hazardous materials that could
potentially harm the marine environment.
Only after meeting stringent safety and
environmental standards are these reefs
deep ready for deployment, ensuring their
positive impact on the marine ecosystem.
Across the globe, there are numerous
success stories of coral reef restoration
and artificial reef projects making a
tangible difference in the health of
marine ecosystems.
From the Coral Restoration foundation in
the Florida Keys to the Great Barrier
Reef foundation in Australia, dedicated
organizations are leading the charge in
restoring and protecting coral reefs for
future generations.
Here in Okaloosa county, the destined Fort
Walden beach area boasts a thriving
artificial reef program that stands as a
beacon of innovation in conservation and
marine habitat management, with a mission
to create accessible locations for
fishing, diving and snorkeling while
simultaneously bolstering marine
biodiversity.
This program is among the most active
of its kind in the nation.
Off the shores of Destin, Fort wall
and beach, artificial reefs come in a
variety of forms, each contributing
uniquely to the underwater landscape.
From prefabricated concrete structures to
repurposed materials such as old bridge
components and surplus military equipment.
The diversity of these structures reflects
the ingenuity and commitment of the
program.
Among the most intriguing additions to the
underwater landscape are decommissioned
vessels intentionally sunk to rest on the
ocean floor.
These vessels not only serve as habitats
for marine organisms, but also offer
unique opportunities for divers to explore
and experience the underwater world from a
new perspective.
Since the establishment of the first
public artificial reef site in 1976, the
waters of Destin for Long beach have
become home to 428 reef sites, with
over 200 deployed since 2019 alone.
These vibrant habitats team with a rich
array of marine life, including sea
turtles, snapper, amberjack, starfish and
grouper, offering a glimpse into the
intricate web of life beneath the waves.
And lionfish.
Yes.
Which we don't want.
No.
But if they have a place to
go that they can be caught, then
that's good.
The new sea creatures.
We also just got into our tank,
the urchin and the star that came
from the Liberty ship.
They just deployed some new ones out
off the coastline here and they were
3d printed.
I saw that.
That was cool.
Yeah.
And there's even a program where you
can have someone cremated and then you
can have their ashes put into the
concrete mixture, and then they can become
part of a coral reef.
Yeah, I thought that was pretty cool.
As well, a whole new ecosystem.
So we don't have coral reefs here
in this part of Florida, but Florida
is the home to the only coral
reefs in the continental United States.
And that's about 350 miles of coral
reefs that, you know, run right along
the bottom of Florida, along the outside
of the Florida Keys, all the way
over to the dry Tortugas.
So you can drive all the way
down to Key west.
To get to dry Tortuga, you have
to take a ferry or take a
boat to get there.
And it was an old army outpost
during the civil war, and so it's
actually a pretty cool place to go
if you ever get down to the
keys.
Hawaii has about 60% of the total
coral reefs that belong to the United
States, but then it's not on the
continental United States.
And then there are some coral reefs
in us territories, like at the islands
in the Pacific ocean and also in
Puerto Rico.
So we vacationed one time in Puerto
rican, and you could literally just walk
from the shore out and snorkel because
it wasn't deep at all, and be
on a beautiful coral reef.
You didn't have to get on a
dive boat or be a certified diver
or anything like that.
You could just walk straight out there
and be on a reef.
That's awesome.
Well, looking ahead, the importance of
collaborative efforts between scientists,
policymakers, local communities and
conservation organizations cannot be
overstated.
By implementing science based conservation
strategies, investing in sustainable
practices, and raising awareness about the
importance of coral reefs, we can work
together to ensure these invaluable
ecosystems thrive for generations to come.
In the face of unprecedented threats,
coral reef restoration and the creation of
artificial reefs offer hope for the future
of these vital marine ecosystems.
By combining scientific innovation with
community engagement and sustainable
practices, we can restore and protect
coral reefs, safeguarding the incredible
biodiversity and ecological services that
they provide as stewards of the ocean,
it is our collective responsibility to
preserve these underwater wonders for the
benefit of current and future generations.
Together, let us continue to explore new
frontiers in coral reef conservation,
working towards a future where vibrant
coral reefs for flourish beneath the
waves, enriching our lives and our
planet's biodiversity.
And we will have links to the
Coral Reef Restoration Foundation, Great
Barrier Reef foundation, and also the
destined Fort Orland beach.
Information about their artificial reefs
in the.
Description there are science centers that
are participating in these programs.
Harley, remember when we went to Charlotte
and the science center there?
When we did the behind the scenes
tour.
That was one of the things they
were working on is, and you would
think, Charlotte, North Carolina, there
are you, you know, but they had
some grant funding, and they have a
great big, huge aquarium system inside of
their museum.
One of the things they were working
on behind the scenes is coral reef
restoration and growing corals.
It's not easy.
No, to grow coral.
It's pretty challenging.
But I thought that was just fascinating.
You know, they gave us a little
tour of it and talked about some
of the challenges they face in trying
to grow coral and some other organizations
that they were partnering with to be
able to do that as well.
So there's definitely a lot of different
places that are working towards this, for
sure.
Yeah.
It's an important part of our worldwide
ecosystem.
And, you know, all those beautiful,
colorful fish, you know, that we think
about are the fish that live in
those reef systems.
And so, you know, if something happens
to that, then all of that beauty
disappears, and that would be tragic.
Yeah.
Well, that is all we have for
this episode.
We'll see you guys in two weeks.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you.
Bye bye.
Thanks for listening to this week's
episode of Cultivate Curiosity.
If you have any questions, feel free
to email us at socialmedia@ecscience.org.
Tune in for our next episode in
two weeks.