CRF Florida
Florida, The heart of our operations
PROTECTING THE THIRD LARGEST BARRIER REEF IN THE WORLD
At our headquarters in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, we’ve been at the forefront of coral restoration innovation since 2007. This vibrant marine ecosystem is where we first introduced the Coral Tree™ and built the world’s largest in-situ coral nurseries—an industry-leading advancement that has become central to our restoration efforts. It is also here where we continue to refine and expand our techniques through ongoing research, development, and education initiatives.
From Florida, we extend our impact globally, using the knowledge, tools, and methodologies we’ve perfected to support restoration projects worldwide. We are dedicated to sharing our expertise, adapting our approaches to meet the unique challenges of diverse environments, and empowering local communities to join the restoration movement. Whether through hands-on training, community-based projects, or collaborative partnerships, our Florida hub serves as the foundation for sustainable coral restoration across the globe.
CRF Restoration Sites
The Florida Keys
The largest coral nurseries in the world
Featuring our world famous coral trees
Our in-situ (ocean-based) coral nurseries in Florida are the largest in the world, with the capacity to produce over 50,000 “reef-ready” corals annually. At the heart of our efforts is the Tavernier Coral Tree™ Nursery, spanning an acre and a half of seafloor and housing more than 500 Coral Trees™. Across Florida, CRF manages 4 principal production nurseries, with a total of nearly 1,000 Coral Trees, for a significant impact on coral restoration and resilience.
Genetic Diversity
Resilience lies in diversity. In Florida, we care for over 600 genotypes across 20 coral species, ensuring a wide genetic pool for restoration. Our gene bank in the Tavernier Coral Tree Nursery and a redundant in-situ bank in Broward, managed by Nova Southeastern University, are vital to this effort. Additionally, every genotype is safeguarded in two land-based facilities managed by our partners, Mote Marine Lab and The Reef Institute.
Learn moreOutplanting at scale
With more than 16 years of experience we have the capacity to do this work at an ever-increasing scale, as evidenced by our annual outplanting numbers in Florida.
Driving Coral Recovery: Introducing the Coral Bus
The Coral Bus was developed to address the issue of coral stress during transport — removing as many stressors as possible gives these endangered animals an even better chance of survival in the wild.
Mission: Iconic Reefs
Mission: Iconic Reefs unites the work of NOAA, CRF, Mote, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, TNC, University of Miami, DEP, the Florida Aquarium, Reef Renewal, FWC, and University of Florida under one collective phased plan to restore corals and lost herbivores to Florida’s Coral Reef.