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May 12, 2008

"The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery, not over nature but of ourselves." --Rachel Carson

Restoring The World's Coral Reefs

After witnessing the rapid devastation of a Cayman Island coral reef, Todd Barber was moved from horror to action. He gave up a six-figure salary as a marketing consultant and dedicated his life to restoring the world's ocean reef ecosystems. According to the Nature Conservancy, if the present rate of destruction continues, 70 percent of the world's coral reefs will be destroyed by the year 2050. Not only are they home to 25 percent of all marine fish species, but the organization states that 500 million people rely on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods. So Barber sat down to devise a solution to "put the reef back." The result was what he calls a "Reef Ball." Made of concrete engineered to last more than 500 years, Reef Balls are circular structures with a hollow center that serve as a base habitat upon which a natural reef can grow.