Coral Adoption Information - Ocean Reef Conservation Association

Dear Member,
Ocean Reef Club understands how important
our beautiful Florida Keys location is to you.
You’ve overwhelming indicated that the marine
environment is one of your top reasons for choosing
to join our Club. That’s why we’re embarking on the
important restoration of Carysfort Reef. Two of
our region’s most important corals—elkhorn and
staghorn—are in drastic decline, and are, in fact, on
the endangered species list. A Key Largo nonprofit,
Coral Restoration Foundation, has been successfully
growing and transplanting corals for more than a
decade throughout the Keys, the Caribbean and
South America.
Ocean Reef Club and the Ocean Reef Conservation
Association are proud to partner with Coral
Restoration Foundation for this restoration project
that would grow and plant 12,000 staghorn and
3,000 elkhorn over the next 5 years. We’ve enclosed
information that explains the process, and also gives
you to opportunity to be part of this restoration
by “adopting” a coral. While the Coral Restoration
Foundation is able to complete this project with
its own staff and volunteers, this is a wonderful
opportunity for community involvement. Members
and their families can be trained to both plant and
maintain the corals. Working together, we can help
the Keys’ ecosystem recover in our lifetime.
The founder of Coral Restoration Foundation,
Ken Nedimyer, will be at Ocean Reef Club on
December 26 for an informational lecture and
answer questions about this vital restoration of
Carysfort Reef. More information will be provided
closer to the event. We hope you will join for what
promises to be an inspiring and engaging evening.
Jack Curlett, President
Ocean Reef Conservation Association
Paul M.G. Astbury, President
Ocean Reef Club
AB O UT THE C O R AL R E STO R ATIO N
F O UN DATIO N
The Coral Restoration Foundation Inc. (CRF) is a
non-profit conservation organization dedicated
to creating offshore nurseries and restoration
programs for threatened coral species. Tens of
thousands of corals are grown and maintained
in multiple offshore nurseries. After a year in the
nursery, corals are outplanted to a degraded reef.
With the help of students, volunteers, scientists, dive
operators, public aquariums, and community groups,
thousands of corals grown in CRF’s nurseries have
already been planted on our coral reefs.
AB O UT K E N N E DIMYE R
Ken Nedimyer started the Coral Restoration
Foundation to bring life back to endangered reefs
in the Florida Keys. As a commercial fisherman and
tropical fish collector, Nedimyer worked in the ocean
nearly every day, and noticed the drastic decline of
two of regions most important corals—the elkhorn
and staghorn. Recognizing the importance of coral
reefs in providing protection for our coastal areas,
habitat for fish and marine economies, it became
his consuming passion to protect and restore coral
reefs. Through his Coral Restoration Foundation,
Nedimyer has grown more than 25,000 elkhorn and
staghorn coral in underwater nurseries that cover
more than an acre of ocean floor. For his tireless
work in restoring our reefs, Nedimyer was named a
CNN Hero in 2012.
Adopt a Coral
ADOPT A CORAL AND WATCH IT GROW FOR A YEAR IN THE CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION’S NURSERY AT
CARYSFORT REEF. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE DIVE SHOP WILL COORDINATE DIVE BOATS FROM OCEAN REEF
CLUB TO THE NURSERIES, SO THAT MEMBERS CAN SEE THE AMAZING CORAL GROWTH IN PROGRESS.
Each adopter will receive a certificate of adoption, full color online photo growth updates
& sharable links for friends and family, so that everyone can watch your coral grow.
You may adopt a general staghorn or elkhorn coral, or personalize a tag with your
name for a staghorn coral or an entire staghorn tree nursery at Carysfort Reef:
A PARTNERSHIP TO
P R E SE RVE O UR REEF
The Ocean Reef Conservation Association and
Ocean Reef Club are proud to partner with the Coral
Restoration Foundation in a conservation initiative
to restore Carysfort Reef.
Two of the Keys’ most important corals—staghorn
and elkhorn—are in dramatic decline, and are
now on the endangered species list. The Coral
Restoration Foundation is leading the development
of new nurseries and restoration techniques. With
their help, our goal is to plant 12,000 staghorn and
3,000 elkhorn at Carysfort Reef.
WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN BECOMING A
PARTNER IN THIS CONSERVATION EFFORT.
Individual
Staghorn
$250
Individual
Elkhorn
$500
Personally Identified
Staghorn Cluster
$1,000
Family Planting Trip
Staghorn Tree Nursery
$5,000
Adopt online: www.oceanreefconservationassociation.org
OCEAN REEF CONSERVATION
ASSOCIATION