Public Education on Florida’s Coral Reefs

What are coral reefs? Why are they important? What’s happening to our coral reef? Why do corals need to be saved? All your coral reef questions answered.

Check Out FAQs

Earth Month Webinars

Hosted by the DEP’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)

  • Introducing Florida’s Coral Reef - Thursday, April 2, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Stony Coral Identification - Tuesday, April 7, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Reef Fish Identification (Part I) - Thursday, April 9, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Reef Fish Identification (Part 2) - Tuesday, April 14, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Marine Invertebrate Identification (Part 1) - Thursday, April 16, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Marine Invertebrate Identification (Part 2) - Tuesday, April 21, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Stony Coral Identification - Thursday, April 23, from 6-7 PM (EDT): Register Here

  • Coral Reef Story Time - Tuesday, April 28, from 6-6:30 PM (EDT): Register Here

A vibrant underwater scene featuring a yellow-green harp jellyfish with a wide open mouth, resting on the ocean floor. Behind it, there is a pinkish sea fan coral with branches extending upward, and a small yellow fish swimming nearby. The seabed is covered with rocks, coral, and algae.

Photo credits: Gug Underwater

Visit Gug Underwater for prints

What are Coral Reefs?

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. They look like a plant, but corals are considered animals—they are invertebrates belonging to a group of animals called Cnidaria. Coral reefs are often referred to as the “rainforest of the sea” as they host a wide variety of biodiversity.

Underwater photo of brain coral growing on sandy ocean floor surrounded by small rocks and seaweed.

What’s Happening to Florida’s Coral Reef?

Rising ocean temperatures, fertilizer runoff, disease, construction impacts, microplastics in the water, chemicals from sunscreen, and other pollutants are threatening our coral reef. This all sounds grim, but the truth is that if we take steps to tweak our everyday behaviors, advocate for coral-conscious policies, and live with nature in mind, we can be part of the effort to repair the damage we have caused. Collective action is amplified as more people and organizations join this movement, becoming more aware of how their everyday habits, actions, and decisions affect the environment around us and vice versa.

Underwater view of a brain coral with sunlight filtering through the water surface.

How You Can Help Florida’s Coral Reef:

We can each do our part to help Florida’s Coral Reef by engaging responsibly with the outdoors, leaving it better than we found it, and being engaged civically. Picking up trash, doing reef and beach cleanups. By choosing to use mineral sunscreen over chemical sunscreen, by not touching corals while we enjoy the reefs, by limiting plastic and becoming conscious of its ever-present presence in our lives, and by choosing to have an edible forest over a grass lawn that requires fertilizer. Visit our Participate Page to learn more.

Get Involved with Coral Conservation

A ginkgo leaf with a small rock at its base, shown against a black background.

  • As an organization completely run by volunteers, we’re always looking for extra hands on deck. Donating your time is one of the best ways to help the corals! Find out how you can help with the Coral Conservation Cause!

  • Join us for community outreach events where we aim to teach the public about Florida’s Coral Reefs, how to protect them, and what we can do as consumers and citizens to protect this natural resource.

  • FOFR helps promote online webinars created by the FL DEP to further extend your Coral Reef knowledge. Webinars on marine invertebrate identification, how to use SEAFAN online reporting system, identifying Florida’s Stony Corals and more.

  • Help us spread the word about coral reefs, share resources with others through socials, and become a more conscious consumer to help mitigate the damage being done to our Coral Reefs. Remember, knowledge is power!

  • As we know, environmental programs are historically underfunded. Get a tax write-off and help our Coral Reefs - at the same time. We offer monthly subscriptions, one time payments, and Venmo!

Participate

Ways to Join the Coral Conservation Cause!