Rescue a Reef Program

Rescue a Reef Program University of Miami's coral restoration program building community, coastal, and coral resilience.

// We’re getting bleached.This September, we’re joining organizations like Coral Reef Alliance Coral Restoration Foundat...
09/04/2026

// We’re getting bleached.

This September, we’re joining organizations like Coral Reef Alliance Coral Restoration Foundation example in bleaching our logo.

Our reefs are running a fever. As ocean temperatures rise, corals become stressed and expel the tiny algae that give them color and energy, causing them to turn white.

It isn’t just about colors. Repeated bleaching events account for more than 75% of the total decline of reef-building capacity in the Florida Keys. Events like this can push corals from building new reefs to losing the reefs they’ve already built.

But bleaching isn’t the end - corals can recover. This Month, help us spread the word and give reefs a fighting chance. To join the movement, visit coralbleaching.com 🪸

_________________________

Toth LT and Courtney TA (2026) Repeated coral bleaching events have eroded reef accretion potential in the Florida Keys

// Let’s get trashy! 🗑️🌊 Every September, millions of volunteers hit coastlines around the world for the Ocean Conservan...
09/01/2026

// Let’s get trashy! 🗑️🌊
 
Every September, millions of volunteers hit coastlines around the world for the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup — the largest single-day volunteer cleanup effort for our beaches and coasts. Last year alone, volunteers removed over 25,000 pounds of trash from shorelines across the entire globe!

Come get trashy with us at Rickenbacker Marina on Saturday, September 19th at 10AM — and help us make an impact right here in Miami!  
 
Register using the ICC link in our bio. Sea you there! 🪸

// Want to become a BleachWatch Observer? BleachWatch is a citizen science program that trains divers to monitor coral b...
08/31/2026

// Want to become a BleachWatch Observer?

BleachWatch is a citizen science program that trains divers to monitor coral bleaching across Florida’s reefs — and joining is free.
To get certified, complete the online learning through the SEAFAN BleachWatch website, or sign up for an in-person training session.
Once certified, you can join members of our team on “Mini Mission” dives at Divers Paradise - recreational dives where our team conducts live BleachWatch surveys. These dives are organized and led by the Divers Paradise team, not Rescue a Reef, but you’ll have members of our crew on the water with you.
Find upcoming Mini Mission dives on the Divers Paradise website, and visit the FDEP website to learn more about SEAFAN BleachWatch.
Every survey counts. 🌊

08/26/2026

// Just another day at the office 🤿🌊🪸

While coral restoration involves plenty of research, planning, and behind the scenes work, sometimes the office happens to be 20 feet underwater! From reef surveys and nursery work to boat days and everything in between, it’s the unconventional parts of the job that make every day exciting and rewarding!

🎨: Audrey Friedman, UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon USA Coral Conservation Fellow

// Coral restoration at every level 🪸Rescue a Reef is working day and night to protect coral reefs through a wide range ...
08/25/2026

// Coral restoration at every level 🪸

Rescue a Reef is working day and night to protect coral reefs through a wide range of restoration methods. Wether we are working on land or underwater, our team is committed to researching and utilizing the best methods to conserve and protect Florida’s coral reefs.

🎨: Delaney McEvoy UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon USA Coral Conservation Fellow

// The reef doesn’t fit in the frame. 🪸And neither does the work it takes to protect it. From coral restoration to under...
08/24/2026

// The reef doesn’t fit in the frame. 🪸

And neither does the work it takes to protect it. From coral restoration to underwater exploration, every moment beneath the surface reminds us why there’s so much worth protecting.

🎨: Audrey Friedman, UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon USA Coral Conservation Fellow

// Think outside the frame 📸 🪸This summer, the Canon Fellows have been sharpening their underwater photography skills th...
08/21/2026

// Think outside the frame 📸 🪸

This summer, the Canon Fellows have been sharpening their underwater photography skills through workshops and field experiences. They’ve learned foundational photography techniques like the rule of thirds - a guideline that creates balance to draw a viewer’s eye through a photo.

We wanted to show a few moments where the fellows stepped outside the rules to create images that capture the color, movement, and life of our coral reefs. Because great photography isn’t always about following the rules... Sometimes, it’s about knowing when to bend them.

Thank you Canon USA for supporting the fellows and helping us expand the ways we share coral conservation with our communities.

🎨: Audrey Friedman and Delaney McEvoy, UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon Coral Conservation Fellows

// We’re cutting corals.Boulder corals play an important role in restoration efforts, but are incredibly slow growers. W...
08/19/2026

// We’re cutting corals.

Boulder corals play an important role in restoration efforts, but are incredibly slow growers. When gardening them, scientists use microfragmentation to speed up growth by cutting a large colony into small pieces. Each piece now has a faster growth rate- more than double!

Why does this happen? Scientists aren’t quite sure. A coral’s age is determined by its size, so researchers hypothesize that cutting makes the coral “younger”, and faster growing! Scientists also think it could also be a healing response- when the coral is cut on the edges, it grows faster to heal!

Through microfragmentation, scientists can accelerate coral growth in restoration. And for an animal that grows slower than your fingernails, every inch is a milestone.

// We’re cutting corals. Boulder corals play an important role in restoration efforts, but are incredibly slow growers. ...
08/19/2026

// We’re cutting corals.
 
Boulder corals play an important role in restoration efforts, but are incredibly slow growers. When gardening them, scientists use microfragmentation to speed up growth by cutting a large colony into small pieces. Each piece now has a faster growth rate- more than double!
 
Why does this happen? Scientists aren’t quite sure. A corals age is determined by its size, so researchers hypothesize that cutting it into smaller pieces makes the coral “younger”, and faster growing! Scientists also think it could also be a healing response- when the coral is cut on the edges, it grows faster to heal!
 
Through microfragmentation, scientists can accelerate growth for restoration. And for an animal that grows slower than your fingernails, every inch is a milestone.

// Pieces of coral restoration🧩From the corals we grow in the lab to the different species and outplanting methods, ever...
08/17/2026

// Pieces of coral restoration🧩

From the corals we grow in the lab to the different species and outplanting methods, every piece plays a role in restoration.

At Rescue a Reef, we’re putting those pieces together to help restore Miami’s coral reefs, one coral at a time.

🎨: Audrey Friedman, and Delaney McEvoy UM Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science Canon Coral Conservation Fellow shot on Canon USA Powershot G7 X Mark I|

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