Join the Party!

Innovation

Our Process

The Reef Renewal USA team’s combined experience makes our organization uniquely suited to spearhead new techniques in reef restoration. We take innovative action in search of the most sustainable, effective, and expeditious methods to repopulate our reef.

Our methods are always evolving, but the overall procedure remains the same. We work with several species of coral, especially those which have experienced the greatest population losses in recent years, and which show promise for resilience on tomorrow’s reef. Using specimens chosen from the wild, we propagate coral in our nurseries and outplant it back to the reef.

As of 2024, we have an additional land-based component of our operations. Learn more about this exciting new chapter and the Science Advisory Committee established to steer it to success.

We rely on the expertise of our team, and the dedication of our community, to improve the future of the coral reef in the Florida Keys.

Land-Based Production

Land-based Coral Farm
Ruskin, Florida

Reef Renewal USA operates one of the largest land based coral farms in the world, producing climate resilient, heat tolerant corals that have already survived extreme ocean conditions.

This is not the small-scale restoration of the past. This is reef renewal at scale for the future.

Innovation

Our co-founder, Ken Nedimyer, is a globally recognized pioneer of modern coral restoration. The propagation techniques and technologies he developed are now used by restoration programs around the world.

Reef Renewal USA continues to build on this legacy through offshore nurseries across the Florida Keys and advanced coral propagation at our land-based farm. Our methods combine fragment-based propagation and sexual reproduction to increase genetic diversity and strengthen long-term reef resilience.

Science-Driven

A global Science Advisory Committee guides our work, bringing together aquaculturists, marine genomics experts, veterinarians, marine biologists, and researchers. Their expertise helps integrate the latest advances in marine biology, genetics, and aquaculture to improve restoration success in a changing ocean.

The knowledge gained through our work is shared with restoration partners worldwide to accelerate innovation and expand impact.

Living Gene Bank

The Coral Farm also serves as a living gene bank, preserving the extraordinary genetic diversity maintained in Reef Renewal USA’s offshore nurseries. Today, the collection includes more than 1000 coral genotypes across 21 species.

Expanded capacity at the Ruskin facility will protect additional genetic material from zoo partners and future collections, helping safeguard the future of coral reefs.
Sq, Ft. Coral Farm
Gallons of Saltwater
Corals Produced Annually
Genotypes in our Gene Bank

Off-shore Nurseries

Our offshore nurseries are at the heart of our restoration work. Located a few miles offshore in carefully selected sites, Reef Renewal USA maintains two active nurseries near Tavernier, and Big Pine Key, where thousands of corals are grown and prepared for outplanting onto Florida’s reefs.

Our offshore Nurseries play a vital role in:

  • Fragging, tending, and maintaining coral trees
  • Monitoring growth and survivability
  • Outplanting larger corals to improve long-term success
  • Training volunteers and community members to participate in restoration
Offshore Nurseries
Coral Trees
Active Reef Projects for Mission Iconic Reefs
Corals Planted since 2023

Innovation

We pride ourselves on our ever evolving, innovative techniques. We develop varying methods suited for the many different coral species with which we work.

Learn more about our processes

5 Videos