CRF St. Croix
Our Flagship Satellite Location
Established 2023 to Restore Long Reef
In just a few short years, CRF St. Croix has built a thriving coral restoration program rooted in both science and community. From establishing in-water nurseries to caring for thousands of corals representing multiple reef-building species, this work has grown quickly through collaboration and deep local commitment.
As coral restoration efforts expanded across the U.S. Virgin Islands, the USVI Coral Reef Restoration Plan identified six reef sites as priorities for restoration based on their ecological importance and community value. At the time the plan was published, five of those six sites already had restoration organizations actively working there. Long Reef was the exception – leaving a critical gap and ultimately leading to CRF being invited to begin restoration efforts at this important site.
Long Reef was identified as a priority because of its significant coastal protection value. Located directly offshore from the main tourism and economic center of St. Croix in Christiansted Harbor – the reef plays a vital role in protecting the coastline while supporting the island’s marine ecosystem. True to its name, Long Reef is the largest reef site identified in the restoration plan, stretching nearly three miles along the coast.
CRF Restoration Site
St. Croix U.S.V.I.
CRF St. Croix Nurseries
Built to scale and double capacity
First opened in April 2024, our St. Croix in-situ Coral Tree Nursery named Sandy West currently has 43 Coral Trees and 12 nursery tables for non-Acroporid broodstock and has the capacity to hold 14,000 corals. In November 2025, a second in-situ nursery, Sandy East, was constructed using nine A-frame nursery structures and has the capacity to double that in the future. Plans are currently underway to install a third nursery location on the west end of the island at Butler Bay. This nursery would be a collaboration with Thriving Islands and would serve as a genebanking location for our elkhorn corals in curation.
Corals we work with
In St. Croix, we work with the following corals:
Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral), Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral), Diploria labyrinthiformis (grooved brain coral), Montastraea cavernosa (great star coral), Orbicella annularis (boulder star coral), Orbicella faveolata (mountainous star coral), Orbicella franksi (boulder star coral), Pseudodiploria strigosa (symmetrical brain coral), and Colpophyllia natans (boulder brain coral).
Since our St. Croix location launch in 2023
20+
Local community contracted divers employed
2,300
Corals re-homed on Long Reef
9,500
Corals are currently in our care across our two nurseries
Rooted in Local Collaboration
Our approach is grounded in working alongside the St. Croix community, not around it, ensuring restoration efforts reflect local knowledge and shared stewardship of the reef. We employ and train local contract divers who carry out daily fieldwork, creating meaningful jobs while strengthening long-term restoration capacity on island.
Community engagement is central to everything we do, from volunteer dive experiences to partnerships that invite residents to take an active role in protecting the reefs they know and love. Together, we are showing how much is possible when coral restoration is guided by collaboration, shared responsibility, and local expertise.
Local Contract Divers
Paid Opportunities for Qualified Divers
Interested in taking your commitment further? CRF™ St. Croix also partners with local contracted divers to support our restoration work on a more regular basis.
Contract divers are paid team members who assist with coral outplanting, nursery maintenance, and other essential in-water tasks. If you’re a certified diver with availability and a passion for ocean conservation, we’d love to hear from you.
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Community Dives
Volunteer Restoration Experiences
CRF™ St. Croix invites local certified divers to take an active role in restoring Long Reef — at no cost to you, other than your time and energy!
Our free Community Dives are two-tank volunteer trips to our coral nursery, where recreational divers help care for corals destined for outplanting. By clearing algae and debris from nursery structures, you’ll give these corals the best chance to thrive—and take part in protecting the reef you know and love.
Participants must be certified divers who have logged a dive within the past year. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is also a certified diver.
2026 Dates:
March 29th
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