Project Profile: Protect and Restore Coral Reefs

Stony coral tissue loss treatment.

NPS / Rachel Johns

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Recreation, Federal Lands Contracts | FY23-25 $1,482,100

Inflation Reduction Act
Resilience | FY23-29 $5,310,001

The National Park Service (NPS) will take a multi-faceted approach to coral management by implementing disease treatment, on-the-ground restoration, research, and other management actions to increase coral reef health. The work will take place in Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Buck Island Reef National Monument, and Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve.

Why? Live coral cover in Southeastern parks has declined by as much as 90 percent in the last 30 years. This loss is due to multiple threats including disease, climate change, overfishing, physical damage (storms, vessel groundings), reductions in water quality, and marine debris.

What Else? Spanning over 250,000 acres across six parks, this initiative acknowledges the pivotal role coral reefs play in the establishment of these parks, offering habitat for ESA-listed corals, supporting economically vital species, ensuring shoreline protection, and contributing significantly to tourism-driven economies. The project aligns with broader conservation frameworks, administration priorities, and the purpose of the fund source, emphasizing the critical need to preserve and restore coral reefs for their ecological, economic, and societal values. Anticipated outcomes involve the implementation of management actions to impact over 25 coral species across multiple reefs. Success will be gauged by the maintenance and restoration of ecologically valuable reefs, particularly those targeted for restoration due to hurricane impacts.

Learn More About This Project

About the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes critical investments in the resilience and restoration of America’s lands, skies, and waters, and enhances conservation and recreation opportunities. Visitors will see tangible results such as repaired and upgraded trails and campgrounds, removal of invasive species, as well as healthy wetlands, grasslands, and forests. 

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of our nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.