Abstract Summary
The abundance of corals has declined significantly over past decades, to the point where several reef-building species in the Caribbean are now listed as threatened. Active reef restoration has expanded exponentially to help recover degraded coral populations and the ecological services associated with healthy and complex reefs. While restoration practitioners now grow hundreds of coral genotypes from several species within coral nurseries and 10,000s of corals are outplanted annually, the cost and labor of these activities continues to be limiting factors. We describe a citizen science program, Rescue a Reef (RAR), which trains participants in reef restoration and provides unique, experiential learning opportunities to recover degraded coral reefs by propagating and transplanting threatened coral species. Between 2015-2018, 440 participants outplanted >2,700 staghorn corals, showing that citizen scientists successfully contribute to reef restoration. Importantly, corals outplanted by RAR participants showed the same survivorship as those outplanted by scientific experts. Moreover, post-expedition surveys showed significant improvements in coral reef ecology and restoration knowledge for RAR participants. The direct benefits of using citizen science for restoration are enhanced when the education and outreach opportunities are considered. Over three years, RAR engaged >14,000 individuals through public seminars, events, and activities in collaboration with organizations like the Phillip and Patricia Frost Science Museum, Rock The Ocean, Miami Seaquarium, and more. Thus, the growing field of reef restoration based on the coral gardening method offers a unique opportunity for participatory public engagement. By participating in these programs, citizen scientists can go beyond just data collection to active restoration and conservation of important reef resources.
