This multi-media environmental education effort provides simple steps we can all take each day to help save endangered coral reefs. Individual elements target visitors, residents, divers, boaters and fishermen.
Our website provides over 500 documents on protecting coral reefs, including scientific studies, what you can do, all about the coral reef ecosystem, and more.
The Reef Relief online community includes over 7,000 people who, with a stroke of the keyboard, are part of efforts to protect coral reefs. This program includes production and distribution of three issues of the Reef Relief newsletter, Reef Line. Copies are mailed to all members, key policymakers, in information kits that are mailed around the world, and hand delivered to all watersports locations in the Florida Keys.
Thousands of people hear radio reef tips produced and aired by Reef Relief on 13 Keys radio stations. Reef Relief sets up displays and information at numerous special events throughout South Florida each year. Thousands of special groups receive coral reef presentations throughout the year.
Reef Relief table at the Earth Day Festival at Bahia Honda Saturday, April 12th, 2008
New Program Manager Mike McCleary with volunteer Annie Morales
Volunteers Annie and Vissa Morales welcomed visitors to the event.
Annie and Vissa offered face painting of sea creatures.
Temporary marinelife tattoos were popular too!
The Coral Reef Conservation Program includes:
NEW KEY WEST ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER A COMMUNITY EFFORT
Reef Relief's new headquarters and environmental center in Key West is located behind the Conch Republic Seafood Company at the Historic Seaport on Greene Street and the ten year lease is donated by the restaurant at $1/year! Manley DeBoer, Strunk Lumber, Stellar Carpet One, Canvas Creations, Mama's Rock & Sand, 901 Signs and Vern's Telecommunications have all provided in-kind support of goods and services.
Educational Coordinator Brian Henry is busy creating touch screens, a theatre, a reef diorama, and other interactive learning stations to introduce visitors to our coral reefs, funded by a generous donation of $5000 from his parents, Kim and Susan Henry. The generous support of Southernmost Resorts, Westin Key West Resort (Ocean Properties, Ltd), First State Bank, William Kemp, the Woodruff Charitable Trust, and others has been essential to our progress. Special thanks to George and Dorothy Witwer for storage over the past year of our books, videos, and other materials.
The first classes were held here last week in cooperation with the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and we hope to be open to the public in another month. The center will focus on sustainable living. We're exploring the addition of solar panels on the roof as a pilot demonstration project in cooperation with Keys Energy and the Florida Solar Center and collaborating with the City of Key West to promote recycling.
Also, the Conch Republic Restaurant Gift Shop is now stocked with Reef Relief and Grateful Diver apparel and merchandise so you can once again shop locally when in Key West to benefit our coral reefs. Volunteers are needed at the center--even if only a few hours per week. Contact us at (305) 294-3100 or online.
Reef Relief Educator Brian Henry teaches local students about our marine environment at the new Reef Relief Environmental Center in Key West.
This class was a cooperative effort between the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Reef Relief. The students learned to identify members of the benthic community in the Keys. The new center is not quite complete, but good enough to begin our environmental education efforts.
Discover Coral Reefs School Program:
During the 2007 school year, Reef Relief in cooperation with the Monroe County School District, is providing teacher workshops to 4th grade educators in the Florida Keys. We will provide the printed materials and electronic media and facilitate planning the field excursions to the coral reef or to local parks that are a part of this program. The goal of the workshops is to enable the 4th grade teachers to provide this program to their students so that they are introduced to the coral reef ecosystem, its importance, what threatens it, and what we can do to protect it.
Reef Relief Intern Robert Schaudt presents Discover Coral Reefs School Program to 4th grade students from Gerald Adams Elementary School. May 6th, 2008. Key West, Florida.
The students explored the new Reef Relief Environmental Center with Robert leading the discussion.
Students liked the Google Earth exhibit at the Reef Relief Environmental Center; you can visit any reef in the world to learn more about it.
Next the students headed off for an excursion to the living coral reef aboard the Discovery Glassbottom Boat. It was a great day for being on the reef!
Here are some images of Reef Relief Educator Joel Biddle during a field trip to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in Key West with 4th grade students in 2006.
A community-supported effort is once again underway to introduce all 4th grade public school students in the Florida Keys to the coral reef ecosystem and how to protect it. With support from the Best Western Hibiscus Hotel, the Blue Marlin Motel, Dorothy Lee Witwer, Joyce Stahl, the Discovery Glassbottom Boat, the Spirit of Pennekamp Glssbottom Boat, the staff and facilities of Fort Zachary Taylor National Park and John Pennekamp State Park, the Monroe County Public Schools, and a matching grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Discover Coral Reefs School Program is provided by Reef Relief.
“In the fall, teachers receive a Reef Relief Teacher Kit to prepare the classes. In the spring, students visit Reef World for a video presentation about local coral reef life, and actually get to visit the reef ,” notes Reef Relief Education Director, Joel Biddle. “During the program students learn five important questions: What is a coral reef? Where is the Reef? What is the coral reef ecosystem? Why is the Reef Important? Why Does the Reef Need Protection? When problems in scheduling due to weather arise, students in the Lower Keys receive a beach walk presentation and tour of Fort Zachary Taylor. Students in the Upper Keys visit the John Pennekamp Coral Reef Visitor Center and are offered mangrove and hardwood hammock tours at John Pennekamp State Park.”
Biddle then follows up with a visit to the schools with educational materials for students, and gives a slide show presentation featuring coral reefs around the world, what threatens them, and how they can be saved. A question and answer period follows focusing on what students can do to save coral reefs. The students are provided with two educational booklets, South Florida's Water Wonderland and Reef Relief's Coral Reef Guide for kids of all ages that are provided to the students. Reef Relief Teacher Kits are provided to each teacher.
But the best way to understand the importance of the Reef Relief Discover Coral Reefs School Program is to listen to teachers and students. Here is a sampling of teacher's comments:
“On behalf of my class and the entire 4 th grade at Sugarloaf School, thank you again for another successful trip to the reef. As usual, I appreciated your coming to the school and sharing slides with the students as well as showing the video just before tour trip. My students really enjoyed their day on the water and saw many interesting animals on the reef.”
- Gil Hunter, Teacher, Grade 4, Sugarloaf School, 2004“Thank you again for the best field trip of the year! You do such a marvelous job with the kids and everyone came back smiling. I really think they learned a lot and enjoyed it very much. Thank you so much for accomodating our time schedule also. When everyone works together it turns out well. Thanks again for all you have done to make our year better!”
¡V Nan Young, Teacher, Grade 4, Stanley Switlik School, 2005
“Reef Relief is thankful for the community support that enables us to provide this environmental education to our students,” noted DeeVon Quirolo, Executive Director of Reef Relief. “To be a part, join Reef Relief. Our new Protect Endangered Coral Reefs membership drive is underway. Contact Reef Relief at www.reefrelief.org or call (305) 294-3100 or visit us at Reef World at the foot of William Street.”
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Reef Relief provides citizens, students, policymakers and other interested parties with the results of scientific studies finding that sewage pollution is affecting coral reefs. This will lead to a greater understanding of the compelling need for improved sewage and stormwater treatment, including nutrient removal, to save coral reefs. Reef Relief supports advanced waste treatment, including nutrient removal, for all areas upland of coral reefs. Reef Relief is also part of a national effort to regulate cruise ship discharges and on the local level, is part of a Key West effort to require that all cruise ships honor the No Discharge Zone for boater sewage. Reef Relief is part of a multi-agency working group that is planning the education and outreach, enforcement and facilities plan for the Keys-wide No Discharge Zone for boater sewage to improve water quality. Reef Relief has launched a media campaign (radio public service announcements, brochures, posters), and dedicates staff to participate in the planning effort along with local, county, state and federal officials. Corals need clear, clean, nutrient-free water to thrive.
There are several publications and links available on this campaign. Click some of the following links for further reading:
I. Protect Endangered Corals Campaign
- Cruise ship discharges continue: Committee grapples with environmental issue
- Government Recognizes Need to Protect Endangered Corals
- Protecting the Endangered Species Act
- Endangered Specied Act of 1973
- Atlantic Acropora Status Review
- Acroporaspp. Proposed Listing under the ESA Frequently Asked Questions
- Protecting Endangered Species and Wild Places Through Science, Policy, Education, and Environmental Law
- Endangered and Threatened Species; Proposed Threatened Status for Elkhorn Coral and Staghorn Coral
II. We All Live Downstream Campaign
- Clean up the Everglades and Save Florida's Coral Reefs!
- Everglade planners finally agree to study nitrogen
- Save the Everglades and Coral Reefs
- Tamiami Trail/Modified Water Delivery will Affect Keys Reefs - Comment Period Ends March 22, 2004
III. No Discharge Zone Campaign
In addition, more publications can be found and printed from the “Publications and Educational Material” Section of our site.