Coral Reef Resilience

marine conservation center
The Center advances coral reef resilience through science, restoration, policy, and community engagement. Our faculty, staff and students bring together complementary approaches, from developing climate-resilient corals to restoring reefs, informing governance, and engaging the public in conservation.

Engineering corals for a changing climate

Center researchers develop and test climate-resilient corals to help reefs withstand changing ocean conditions. This work connects coral propagation and breeding with restoration efforts in Florida and the Caribbean.

Restoring reefs and protecting coastlines

We advance field-based coral restoration through coral nurseries, coral outplanting, citizen science and education, and innovative approaches to enhance reef resilience. This work also includes hybrid reefs that combine engineered structures covered with living coral to support both coastal protection and habitat restoration.

Coral reef governance and policy

Our work examines the governance and policy dimensions of coral reef resilience, including how emerging restoration approaches are considered within Florida’s coral reef governance system.

Public engagement

Through Rescue a Reef, the Center engages the public directly in coral restoration and citizen science. More than 1,000 people have participated in hands-on reef restoration expeditions since the program’s founding. Rescue a Reef also anchors Miami Community ResilientSea, which advances coastal restoration and climate resilience across Miami-Dade County.

Meet the Teams

rosenstiel school
Dr. Diego Lirman,
Kyle Family Chair in Marine Conservation
Restoration Ecology Lab Rescue a Reef
rosenstiel school
Dr. Andrew Baker, 
Kyle Family Chair in Marine Conservation
Coral Reef Futures Lab
marine conservation rosenstiel school
Dr. Rebecca Gruby, 
Director, Robert K. Johnson Center for Marine Conservation
Ocean Governance Collaborative
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