The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The whimsical names of corals—bubble, staghorn, starburst and brain—hint at their spectacular appearance, but not necessarily at their true value. As the largest living structures on the planet, coral reefs are also among the greatest storehouses of biodiversity on Earth.

Coral reefs are also one of the most threatened marine systems. Scientists estimate that unless we take immediate action, we could lose up to 70 percent of coral reefs by 2050.

Our Work to Protect Coral Reefs

The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to protecting these vital ecosystems and all the corals, fish and people that depend on them. Our coral reef projects around the world ensure:

• Plant and animal diversity assessments throughout the Meso-American Reef
• Training and education for coral reef managers from more than 30 countries
• Support for designing and creating resilient marine protected area networks in the Asia-Pacific region, known as the Coral Triangle
• Effective management in Belize and Honduras where huge numbers of reef fish gather each year to reproduce
• Restoring staghorn coral in South Florida and monitoring coral reefs’ resilience to climate change from southeast Florida to the Dry Tortugas.
• Science-based innovations in our conservation toolbox to protect tropical coral reefs across the planet

 You can help us protect coral reefs and Adopt a Reef today.