In celebration of World Oceans Day, the NSU Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, in partnership with the Coral Reef Foundation, will host Coralpalooza on June 4, 2016, for a day of outplanting the threatened Staghorn Coral to Florida reefs. This year’s event is an opportunity for NSU members and the general public to give back to world oceans by helping to restore the threatened coral and the reefs whose health depends upon it.
In 2006, Staghorn Coral was listed as threatened across its entire species range by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The following year, NSU—in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the University of Miami—created a goal of restoring this species back to a sustainable level. Together, the partnership has outplanted tens of thousands of Staghorn Corals to Florida reefs.
Coralpalooza is a day-long boating and SCUBA diving event. Participants must have a current SCUBA certification and will assist researchers as they collect, transport, prepare, and complete the outplanting at the reef restoration site. The cost is $120 per person, which includes three dives, a $40 donation to NSU’s Coral Nursery, and some supplies. Divers will attach the corals to the reef by using nails, epoxy, and cable ties. The event begins at the NSU Oceanographic Center marina at 8000 North Ocean Drive in Dania Beach.
To learn more and register, visit the Coralpalooza website.