$5 Million Grant for Florida Keys Reef Restoration
A $5 million grant will fund an unprecedented ecosystem-scale reef restoration at Eastern Dry Rocks, one of seven iconic reefs located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary as part of Mission: Iconic Reefs. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NOAA awarded the grant to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation through the National Coastal Resilience Fund.
The foundation in partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and Coral Restoration Foundation will work with NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to plant more than 60,000 staghorn and elkhorn corals and engage professional divers and community members to clear nuisance species and debris from the reef to prepare and maintain the restoration site.
The project will strengthen coastal resilience, revitalize critical fish and wildlife habitat, and engage the community to be stewards of the reef.