Caribbean Acropora Restoration Guide - The Florida Reef ...

Preface
The significant decline of Acropora corals throughout the
Caribbean is well documented, prompting the development of
Acropora propagation and restoration efforts to enhance the natural
recovery of this threatened keystone component of coral reefs.
The purpose of this guide is to share the collective knowledge of
a community of scientists and restoration practitioners who have
been working both independently and collaboratively to restore
populations of Acropora corals throughout the Caribbean. By
sharing lessons learned from years of experience of in situ Acropora
propagation and coral population enhancement in Florida and
the Caribbean, we want to increase the success of others’ efforts
and accelerate conservation and restoration at a regional scale.
The field of coral restoration is evolving rapidly, and the ideas
and best practices described here should be considered guidelines
to be adapted for individual propagation or restoration projects
based on local environments and project-specific goals. This guide
provides best current practices for nursery and outplanting design
and methodology. We use case studies to illustrate how these
practices have been implemented in various projects throughout
the Caribbean. While most of the information included in this
guide is based on experience working with A. cervicornis, additional
information and considerations have been included for A. palmata.
It is our hope that the information presented will provide a useful
foundation to support the work of other scientists, practitioners,
managers and local communities who are working to enhance
Acropora populations.
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