Florida Keys Celebrates World Oceans Day with Coral 'Plantapalooza'
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KEY LARGO (CBSMiami/FKNB) - In recognition of World Oceans Day, the Florida Keys-based Coral Restoration Foundation is staging its first-ever "Plantapalooza" Monday during which CRF staff, interns, board members and volunteers hope to plant at least 1,000 reef-building staghorn corals in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Up to 70 divers are sowing corals at six Upper Keys sites including Molasses Reef, Carysfort Reef, Grecian Rocks, Little Conch Reef, Snapper Ledge and Pickles Reef.
"Plantapalooza" is aiming to raise awareness of World Oceans Day, celebrated internationally each year, and the importance of the restoration, preservation and conservation of the continental United States' only living coral barrier reef, located in the Florida Keys.
This year's WOD theme is "Healthy Ocean, Healthy Planet," a philosophy the nonprofit CRF fulfills through its unprecedented restoration efforts for Florida Keys coral reefs.
Since CRF's inception in 2000 has planted some 30,000 corals on upper and middle Keys reefs.
If successful, the 1,000 plantings planned for Monday would be the organization's most prolific output in a single day.
The event is being executed under a permit from the NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The Florida Keys News Bureau contributed to this report.
