One Man's Quest To Restore Florida's Coral Reef
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Ken Nedimyer first dived into the pristine waters off the Florida Keys at the tender age of 13, whilst on vacation with his parents. He loved it so much, that he returned in 1969, to obtain a degree in Zoology from the Florida Atlantic University and never left.
Everything went well until 1977, when a series of cold fronts resulted in such extreme temperatures that two of Florida's reef building corals - the Staghorn and Elkhorn were severely impacted. The ones that were not killed were weakened and destroyed by an outbreak of the 'White Band disease' - A condition that peels off the coral skeleton in a uniform band.
In 1985, just as the corals were beginning to recover, a couple of destructive hurricanes hit Florida's coast forcing them into such a serious decline, that they had to be placed on the endangered list.
While distressed at seeing the beautiful coral disappear, Ken had no idea how to fix the issue. Then in 2000, he noticed tiny Staghorn coral beginning to grow in his underwater live rock farm. Intrigued, his daughter and he decided to try artificially cultivate some for a high school project.
They were so successful, that Ken decided to approach the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to see if they could use their method to help restore Florida's coral. Ken received his first grant in 2004 for a pilot project and since then, there has been no looking back!
While things are still not back to normal, a lot more funding has been granted and the Coral Restoration Project has now been extended along the entire Florida Reef Tract and all the way down to the US Virgin Islands.
Though Florida's issue was unique, disappearing coral is a problem worldwide. Scientists estimate that about 25% of the world's coral has been lost, primarily due to the rising sea temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels caused by global warming. They believe that if something is not done soon, more than half of the world's coral will vanish within the next 50 years. Ken Nedimyer believes that his method of coral re-planting can be implemented anywhere in the world and hopes, that others will follow his lead.
Resources: coralmagazine.com,www.fla-com, reefresileince.org
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320 Comments
- Andrew L.almost 13 yearsThe problem is cold fronts in Florida reefs. Whats causing the problem is white band disease. What solutions are being made to help is Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary method.
- A!ss@ P.almost 13 yearsThe problem with the reefs was that a coldfront came in at very low tempaters and distructive hurricains in 1977.This caused two reefs in Florida Keys, and also damage other reefs.The solution was all because of Ken Nidymer.They tried to plant more coral in that area and hopefully recovered the beutiful Florida Keys Reefs.
- Zachary Medlinalmost 13 yearsThe problem is the coral is vanishing because of the cold fronts and hurricanes. The cold front are making the water to cold for the coral to survive. The hurricanes are wiping the coral out with the power of the waves from the strong winds. A solution is to first grow new coral. Then they replant the coral on rocks and in the ground.
- Maciek s.almost 13 yearsEverything was fine in Florida Keys until 1977 when a series of of cold fronts hit two of Florida's reef building corals the Staghorn and Elkhorn and also weakend the other coral reefs.Then later in 1985 when the corals were beggining to recover a couple of huge tornadoes hit the coral reefs.So a few scientists decided to try to rescue the coral reefs by planting coral and it worked.If the scientists keep doing this procces they will probely save the coral reefs in Florida Keys.
- nanibooalmost 13 yearswow i never knew that people could and would do such a generous thing. i would like to know how i could help. i also think that ken's work was a big help and inspierd me to try to help too.
- S3TH Y@NC#Yalmost 13 yearsThe problem is that corals are disappearing WORLD WIDE!! Scientist even belived that 25% of the worlds coral has been lost!! These horrible things are happening because rising sea temperatures and higher carbon dioxide wich is global warming. But Ken Nidymer does have a solution to fixing this problem he could use his coral re-planting method and maybe this method could bring back our precious corals.
- Brockalmost 13 yearsThe problem with coral reefs is that the coral is disappearing. It is disappearing by global warming , carbon dioxide, and hurricanes. The solutions that are being attempted to solve the problome is they are planting coral and is working. If we keep doing this process we could save our intresting coral.
- maxim cilekalmost 13 yearsthe problem is that the climate is to cold and thats so cold its killing the coral reef. so there problem is that the coral reef are dying because its to cold.they used staghorn to keep the fish alive.
- Kate C.almost 13 yearsThe Coral is "disappearing" which causes as a world wide disaster! Scientists estimate about 25% of Earth's coral has been lost. Some theories are that it's because of the rising sea level and some say because of the lack of oxygen caused by what we call, global warming. Scientists say that in about 50 years half of the globe's coral will have vanished. Nedimyer say's that solutions are needed, and hopes that his Coral re-planting will pay off all through the Economy.
- Sofia Marino <;-)almost 13 yearsThe problem is that coral reefs are getting destroyed in many ways. They are mostly getting destroyed by cold fronts and storms. People are using staghorn coral to prevent this disaster.